Trojan
by Marishaten
Summary: Sometimes the biggest threat comes not from outside but from the enemy within...AU A/N: Thank you Ananova for all the helpful suggestions.
1. The Enemy Within

"So...have you done as I asked?" a thin voice rasped on the phone.

"...Yes."

"Did he suspect something?" the voice asked again.

"N-no…no, I don't think so."

"Are you _sure_ he didn't suspect something?" a hint of urgency crept into the voice.

"Yes I'm sure…what do you take me for?"

"Just checking...no need to be mad. In any case, it won't be much longer now."

"…You are saying that for the last one month."

"I told you – I've had to make…arrangements. Just bear with me, just a little longer."

The sound of footsteps echoed in the corridor. A shadow stiffened.

"Somebody's coming. I gotta go."

"Big party at the Taishou residence, eh? Alright, until next time."

"Can I reach you on this number?"

There was a slight pause before the reply came.

"I'll reach you."

The butler carrying the tray of champagne paused as he noticed the slight quivering of a curtain.

_Who could be in the parlour at this hour?_

Setting the tray down upon a bureau he adjusted his glasses and peered into the darkness.

His nose caught a whiff of orchids. He fumbled for the switch, and a moment later the room was washed in yellow light.

Myouga looked around in surprise.

The room was empty.

He shook his head uncertainly. He was gaining in years; his eyesight wasn't quite what it used to be, but still…

With a sigh he switched off the light and withdrew from the room.

Unnoticed by him, a figure stealthily crept out of the parlour and ran down the corridor.

* * *

CHAPTER 1: THE ENEMY WITHIN

Sango Taishou glided gracefully down the corridor of the Taishou residence. The newest addition to the family, she was already dressed for the party, which was held every year in the honour of her father-in-law's birthday. It was mandatory for the entire family to come together and attend it.

An orphan brought up under adverse circumstances, most people would say she had married beyond her means.

Her expensive jade bracelet tinkled against the banister as Sango paused to look at her mother-in-law's blue and gold bedroom. The door to the room was slightly ajar, and she could see Izayoi combing out her long tresses. The latter's ebon locks now wore grey highlights and the corners of her ocean blue eyes crinkled as she laughed, but age could not diminish her beauty even by an iota. Sango had already heard all about the courtship between her father-in-law and Izayoi - it was the family's favourite topic for fireside chats.

Deciding against disturbing the older woman's toilette, Sango kept on walking. The next two doors were closed but the third was wide open.

Sango was not surprised. The room belonged to her brother-and-sister-in-law, Inuyasha and Kagome. As a couple they were most surprisingly frank, and the door to their room was almost always open during the day – except when it closed at odd hours. During one such time Sango had unknowingly gone to borrow Kagome's brooch. She had quickly withdrawn after hearing the sounds coming from within. Sango still blushed when she thought about it.

Right now, though, Kagome and Inuyasha were discussing in an animated way, about a spate of murders that had recently shaken up the city.

It seemed as if a madman was killing people at random by hitting their heads with a blunt object. First it was a tramp, then a shop owner, then an old lady – the police were at a loss when it came to identifying the killer, as there was no correlation between the victims. Inuyasha, who himself belonged to the police department, had discussed the case with them at length during dinner the previous night.

Sango shook her head as she thought of the poor victims. She absently continued towards her room when an out-of-breath Ayame suddenly collided into her, rudely jerking her out of her reverie.

Of all the children of Izayoi, Ayame was Sango's favourite. She loved the girl's irreverent and rebellious attitude - traits she dearly wished to emulate. Ayame's life was just as colourful as her personality. She had quarrelled with her parents and run off to marry Kouga when she was barely eighteen. Of course, later on Kouga and Ayame had been reconciled with the Taishou family and Kouga had been given an office in his father-in-law's business. With that income they had recently bought an apartment in a nearby locality. At present they were living with the family on occasion of the party.

"Sorry," Ayame said, flashing her reckless grin, "Didn't notice you there."

"It's okay. Did you want something?"

For a moment Sango felt as though Ayame was going to tell her something. The girl's keen eyes had a peculiar kind of expression – whether it was fear or excitement Sango could not tell. Then as quickly as it came, the look vanished from her eyes.

"No, it's nothing…gotta run."

Sango looked thoughtfully at the girl's retreating figure. Downstairs in the main hall a clock struck eight. The guests would start arriving any minute. Myouga could be heard giving instructions to the staff. Sango broke into a short run and went into her room. As she entered, her husband beamed at her from the mirror.

Miroku was Izayoi's younger son. Sango's heart skipped a beat as she looked at her husband's face. Although Miroku's womanizing days were a thing of the past, he still retianed his fine looks and impeccable manners that had helped him become one in the first place.

She had initially declined him, but had relented after a serious pursuit spanning an entire year. Her brother Kohaku had been instrumental in their coming together. They were married less than a month ago.

As Miroku beheld his wife, resplendent in her jade green gown that nicely accentuated her gorgeous figure, he was once again blown away by her beauty.

Sango walked over to him and handed him a box of aspirin.

"We should keep this stuff in our bathroom as well, so we don't need to run down the corridor every time we need it," Miroku remarked as he took it from her.

After hours of sitting in front of his laptop and typing out his latest novel, his head was ready to split.

"I take it that the Iron Lady has arrived?" he asked his wife.

The 'Iron Lady' was Miroku's affectionate way of calling his stepmother.

"Yes, I suppose so. At least, Myouga said she has."

"Ah, good. And brother Sesshoumaru as well?"

Sango nodded in the affirmative.

"Although I haven't met either of them."

Miroku let out a chuckle.

"No need to rush. They are not exactly the friendliest specimens of humanity."

Sango raised an eyebrow.

"That bad?"

Miroku scratched his cheek as he looked at her thoughtfully.

"I wouldn't say bad – that's more Inuyasha's way of speaking. 'Interesting' and 'challenging' are the words that are coming to my mind right now."

"Then I'd better not go anywhere near them."

"Ah, no, no dear girl! That's where you are mistaken. You must make acquaintances with brother Sesshoumaru. I'm sure you'll find him most fascinating."

But Sango looked skeptical.

"This brother of yours…what does he do for a living?"

"That's top secret. I guess he works for the right side, although at times it seems questionable seeing the company he keeps, but betrayal doesn't go with his nature so I'd say he's alright. He's been to almost all the places and has had all kinds of experience short of being boiled alive in a cauldron by a host of cannibals. He knows the meanest crooks in the business as thoroughly as the top brass. He's a bit of an enigma, really."

"I see."

"His stories are the inspirations for almost all of my novels, you know."

"And what about his mother?"

"She's an educationist by day – Board Member of several universities. Don't ask me what she is by night, though."

Sango was confused whether Miroku was serious or joking. He certainly looked serious enough.

She was rather startled by a knock on the door. A minute later Myouga's head announced that the party had assembled downstairs.

Sango gave her hair one last pat as she headed out of the room, a groaning Miroku in tow.


	2. Kagome's Peril

_"The only safe plotter is one who plots alone…"_

Kagome looked out of the window rather absentmindedly. Beyond it, white roses were quietly swaying in the wind. Serene, carefree...their very peacefulness filled Kagome with a quaint longing.

She knew she was walking on thin ice. It wasn't supposed to be this way - she had planned everything down to the last detail…and now everything was getting thrown out of kilter because of the stupidity of another. Within her chest, her heart thumped loudly.

Taking a calming breath, Kagome tore her eyes away from the scenery outside and reluctantly made her way through the guests. Her presence was not really needed at the party, but her absence would prompt the guests to comment. She hid her nervousness behind a mask of smile, nodding politely, sometimes dropping a compliment or two as she meandered between a seemingly endless stream of visitors. With Izayoi at the helm of affairs, she needed to do precious little other than to smile and nod. But even that wore her already sensitive nerves.

There were times when Kagome Taishou nee Higurashi had felt slighted because of her mother-in-law's overarching presence in her household. With innocent blueberry eyes and a voice as soft as molasses, Izayoi had her hooks deep into the hearts of her husband and sons. Kagome felt almost invisible when standing next to her. But today she was thankful for the competent charms of the older lady.

_Ever since that phone call…_

Kagome hated having to sneak around. And the lying…the constant lying…

_At least it will be over soon…_

"Hullo, beautiful!"

Kagome jumped as a voice, smooth as the sound of fine silk being rubbed together, brushed against her ear. She had not noticed when Inuyasha had come to stand next to her. Unconsciously, she gripped the corner of a table.

"Why are you making that face, Kags? As though you've seen a monster…"

Inuyasha's voice was light and casual, yet Kagome thought she could detect a hint of steel within. She averted her gaze. Her chin started to tremble a little.

"It's nothing."

Inuyasha gave a short bark of a laugh.

"Looking at you one would think you're hiding something, Kags."

Her throat choked, and no voice came out. She tried to smile but she wasn't sure if she was successful. Before either of them could speak, Inuyasha's phone started to ring. His face changed from laughter to a scowl as soon as he saw the number.

"I need to take this," he said as he walked to the other corner of the hall.

Kagome released her breath as she saw him leave.

_Does he suspect?_

She wouldn't put it past her husband. _He's a cop, after all._

How long could she go on playing hide-and-seek? Sooner or later it was all bound to come undone. If she wanted to forestall the inevitable, she would have act swiftly and audaciously.

Kagome coughed as the evening wind sneaked in through the window. A whiff of orchids floated with the wind. She turned around to come face to face with her husband's stepmother.

The former Mrs. Taishou bared her sharp teeth in a mirthless smile, her light gold eyes lingering on Kagome's slight build.

"Marriage suits you, Kagome dear. It is a good thing that my stepson finally decided to make an honest woman of you."

Kagome let the barb slide. "He did it three years ago, Madre."

She did not know why her father-in-law's ex-wife insisted on the children calling her Madre. She found the name pompous and a little silly. But there was so much in the family that was really outre that she had stopped questioning many years ago.

"I don't blame him," Madre's smile widened maliciously, "After all, the art of diluting the bloodline had begun with his father."

Izayoi glided towards them. Her keen eyes had not failed to notice Kagome's discomfiture. Clutching Madre's arm, she smilingly steered her away from the girl.

"Come, let me introduce you to Miroku's wife. Kagome dear, would you mind attending to the guests for a moment?"

Kagome slipped out of the corner, grateful for the intervention. She took a quick scan of the room.

Kouga was sitting in a corner, wearing a dark scowl upon his face. On the other side of the room, Sesshoumaru was leaning against the curtain, talking to a tall, lean woman sporting a rather magnificent mustache. Miroku was chatting with his friends from the literary circle – Naraku, Kuranosuke, Hakudoushi, Mouryoumaru – the usual gang. Her father-in-law was having a rather boisterous time with his friends-cum-business-partners Ryuukossei and Toutousai, his robust frame shaking with laughter. As usual, her presence in the room went entirely unnoticed.

Kagome kept her glass down. The corners of her mouth hardened - like one who has reached a decision after a long internal debate. Clutching her phone, she surreptitiously made her way out of the banquet hall. In the corridor, the din of the party was reduced to only a murmur.

Frantic eyes searched the stairway for any sign of human occupation. Then, hitching up the train of her gown, she bounded up the stairs and ran down the corridor leading to her room.

Once inside, she fumbled with a bunch of keys and opened a drawer that contained a wad of cash. She stuffed the money into her purse. From another she took out her car keys.

Avoiding all glances, Kagome took her Bentley out of the garage and drove off into the night.

Only a pair of eyes watched her from the upper balcony.


	3. Kouga's Musings

Kouga's scowl deepened as he looked at the sprawling verdure stretching outside the window.

To him, even the lush green seemed like ashes and dust.

Very soon, his father-in-law would find out everything and that would be the end of it. He would be thrown out of the family business and possibly even out of his house. But most importantly, he would lose Ayame forever.

_Ayame…_

The name never failed to soften the glare in his cornflower eyes. Ayame – the love of his life – and yet he had started their relationship on wrong footing.

Those days he was besotted with Kagome. To someone like Kouga, she was a distant star – luminous and unattainable. Class President, President of the Drama Club, honour student – she was all the things that he, a boy with a working class background and basic education couldn't even dream of obtaining.

He used to watch her pore over her books for hours while he worked at the café, never being able to muster enough courage to express his feelings for her.

And then, one day, Inuyasha had strutted into Kouga's little shop with his blue blood and Ivy League sophistication, and snatched her away from right under his nose.

Inuyasha's coming had painfully highlighted all of Kouga's shortcomings. Never before had he felt so inadequate as when standing next to the handsome boy with vivid violet eyes – next to him, Kouga had felt like he was no more than a lout. Afterwards, he had spent many sleepless nights cursing his own limitations.

A couple of years down the line, Ayame started frequenting Kouga's café. This time, Kouga did not hesitate. Summoning up his rakish charm, he had pulled the chair next to her, while offering her coffee 'on the house'.

To his surprise, Ayame turned out to be as forthright as him. Before he knew, they started getting along like a house on fire. When news reached Inuyasha's ears, he was livid with fury. Things would have come to blows if Kagome and Ayame hadn't intervened.

After the Taishou household had made it clear that they were not going to accept a bourgeois like Kouga into the family, they had no choice but to elope. Kouga smirked as he remembered their wedding night, and the first time Ayame had seen his dingy apartment above the café. Those days he had to work two shifts in order to support Ayame through college, but they were so happy together…

After that things went by in a blur. In a year, Inuyasha got married to Kagome, and through her efforts Ayame was reconciled with the Taishous. Kouga was offered a job in the family business. Fiscal worries were gradually becoming a thing of the past.

But somewhere down the line Kouga could sense that he and Ayame were drifting apart. He did not want to let her go, but the more he clung to her the more she eluded him, like a fistful of mercury.

Sometimes he thought if they had a child perhaps their bond would have gained more stability. But Ayame would not agree. She was becoming unreasonably headstrong until they could not discuss anything calmly anymore. News was reaching his ears that she was getting a little too close with some of her 'friends' in college.

At the same time, he began to notice something amiss in his office – people were tiptoeing around him as though they knew something that he didn't. When he confronted his father-in-law the older man was pretty cagey about it. Kouga's seething desperation was reaching a boiling point.

Then, about a month ago, he finally made the call.

Kouga took a deep breath as his eyes hunted the room for Ayame. As usual, she was nowhere to be seen.

_'On the phone with lover boy, I s'pose,'_ he thought darkly. 'Lover boy', whoever he was, must have all the advantages of wealth and pedigree that Kouga lacked. Once again, his past was coming to haunt him.

Unconsciously, Kouga gripped the edge of his chair. He wouldn't allow fate to ruin his life once more. This time, he would take 'fate' by its horns and come out on top. All he needed to do was to make a few arrangements and then it would all be over for good.

Out of the corner of his eye he watched Kagome slip out of the room. Opposite to him, he felt Sesshoumaru's eyes casually falling on him during a conversation with an old lady.

_'Does he suspect me?'_

Kouga could not tell. In fact, with the eldest of his father-in-law's children, it was impossible to tell. He rose from his chair, checked his phone once, and then shuffled out of the room.

Immediately he collided into Inuyasha.

The latter was looking absent and a tad put out by something. Kouga raised an eyebrow.

"Something the matter?"

"Not that I'd tell you."

Rude as ever. Kouga wondered if Inuyasha would be able to retain his superior attitude even after Kouga revealed his true element. By then, of course, it would be too late for the Taishous.

_'At any rate, it won't be long now…'_

Inuyasha watched, bemused, as his brother-in-law slowly shuffled up the stairs. Then shaking his head, he entered the hall. His eyes sought out Sesshoumaru.

At an unspoken signal, Sesshoumaru deftly stemmed Lady Urasue's voluble stream of words and went to his younger half-brother.

"What does the snitch say?"

"It won't be long now."

Sesshoumaru nodded his head.

"Your men are on the alert?"

"Yep."

"Then let's catch the bastard tonight."

At a sound, Inuyasha cast his glance sideways. Miroku was introducing Sango to his group of friends. It was only for a moment but Inuyasha thought he could see Sango's eyes grow wide in fear and surprise. His trained eyes leaped toward Miroku's friends to see who could have caused such a reaction in her. But to his surprise, none of them betrayed any emotion other than civil courtesy. Inuyasha frowned. Something was definitely odd.

At that very moment, amid the lively commotion of the party came the sound of crashing glass.

Sango stood, looking embarrassed, her drink spilled on the floor.


	4. Miroku's Friends

"It's alright, Sango dear. Don't worry about it," Izayoi placed a reassuring hand on Sango's shoulder.

Mr. Taishou came forward anxiously.

"Did you hurt yourself?"

Sango shook her head.

"It's just jitters," Izayoi said soothingly, "Maybe you should go upstairs and rest for a while?"

Sango gracefully accepted the suggestion. Miroku put his arm around his wife.

"I'll accompany you."

"Oh no, I'll be quite alright on my own," Sango asserted, before lightly pressing his hand, "You should be with your friends."

"Are you sure?"

"I'm positive."

The parlour maid quickly swept away the broken fragments of the glass. Izayoi suddenly felt tired and jaded.

_'That's all I ever do...gather shattered glasses by the armfuls and sweep them under the rug…'_

Broken dreams, lost ambitions, shocking scandals – the Taishou mansion was the burial ground for it all. And if the very bricks of the mansion poured their secrets into somebody's ears, it was Izayoi's.

It was she alone who knew why the former Mrs. Taishou had to be involved in all matters of the family; or when Ryuukossei had concealed himself in their house after killing a man during a bar fight; or when Miroku had gotten a girl pregnant (Shima, her name was) when she was barely fifteen. When Ayame caused such a scandal by running off with that uncouth boy, it fell to her to hush the matter up with consummate class. When her husband had that silly dalliance with the secretary (what was her name again?) and then with the cook's daughter, again it fell to her to see that both girls were silenced with appropriate bribes.

Whenever a crisis arose in the household, she needed to step up and crush it with ruthless efficiency, all the while retaining her innocent charm. Before she realized it, the happy, chirpy twenty-year-old had turned into the quintessential Stepford Wife.

As Izayoi watched the floor being cleaned of the debris, she knitted her elegant brows. Even now certain things were cooking that she was vaguely aware of. There was a storm brewing in the very heart of her household – and her family was in the eye of it. She could feel its dark currents running below the surface of their perfect little lives. But she did not know when or where it would strike.

And it scared her.

A cold breeze blew in through the window. Izayoi shivered.

Inuyasha casually put his arm around Miroku's shoulder.

"Introduce me to your friends," he demanded with calculated ease.

Miroku raised an eyebrow in reply.

"Why the sudden interest in my friends at this late hour?"

"Just being friendly toward our guests, is all."

Miroku eyed his brother suspiciously for a moment. Then he sighed.

"Your agendas will always be beyond my comprehension. Alright then, come on."

He guided Inuyasha to the part of the room where four men appeared to be engrossed in a conversation. As Miroku approached them, they looked at him quizzically.

"Guys, this is my elder brother, Inuyasha."

The men nodded politely. Miroku indicated toward a short man with thick glasses.

"This is Hakudoushi, my friend since high school. You must've met him - he's come over loads of times. He's a writer by profession…"

"Even though nobody reads my books," Hakudoushi said with a wry smile.

From close quarters, Hakudoushi looked like one who had fallen on hard times. There was the keen, hunted look in his eyes that spoke of a quiet desperation. His hands appeared to be rough and callusy, and his tux looked suspiciously like it had been rented.

"All in good time, my friend," a black-haired man said bracingly.

Miroku indicated toward him next, "This is Naraku. He's a professor of literature. In fact, he's teaching Ayame's class this semester."

Inuyasha mentally raised an eyebrow, even though his face was quite stoical. He had heard rumours that Ayame was seen regularly with a dark-haired Professor...

Right on cue, the girl sailed into the room. Naraku's eyes jumped toward her. Ayame paused, a little surprised. Then, blushing furiously she made her way to the opposite end of the room to join her father and his friends. Naraku's eyes followed her every move.

Miroku continued with the introductions, oblivious to the little skit that was going on inside the room.

"This is Kuranosuke. He's the eldest son of Keiichiro-sama."

"Although he's more into fashion than politics," a tall, purple-haired man said with a smirk.

Everybody knew Keiichiro-sama to be one of the leading politicians of the country. After having held a position in the Ministry for decades, he was said to have been keen on passing the chair to the younger generation.

"And finally, this is Mouryoumaru, my biggest literary rival," Miroku laughed as he indicated the purple-haired man from before.

"Hardly," Mouryoumaru said cordially, "Your books adorn the shelves of all the leading book stores in the city while mine gather dust and neglect in public libraries."

"Don't listen to a word of it, Inuyasha!" Miroku wagged his finger, "His half-human half-bionic superhero has captured the fancy of all the young and impressionable girls of the city!"

Although Mouryoumaru quickly disclaimed this with a wave of his hand, Inuyasha could detect a hint of jealous arrogance behind the man's façade of jovial friendliness.

Hakudoushi excused himself to get a glass of water. As soon as he was out of earshot, Miroku lowered his voice.

"Nice of you guys to have dragged Haku-kun out of his house. He's been quite cut up ever since Kanna's death."

"Yeah," replied Kuranosuke, "I've rarely seen a man mourn his wife with such pain."

Mouryoumaru nodded his head sympathetically but Naraku was looking elsewhere. It was as though his mind was no longer in the conversation.

Inuyasha pulled Miroku aside.

"Do any of your friends know Sango from before?"

Miroku looked surprised.

"Sango? What makes you think such a thing?"

Inuyasha recounted what he saw earlier when Miroku was introducing his wife to his friends. Miroku shook his head stubbornly.

"You're mistaken, I'm telling you. Yes, Sango dropped the glass but it was an accident. Could've happened to anyone."

"Even so, I'd like to know."

Miroku frowned thoughtfully.

"Well, we usually hang out in the club on Thursdays and Saturdays – and Kohaku hangs out there as well. So to answer your question, yes, she might've seen any one of them…or even all four of them some time or the other. But as for knowing any of them…well, if she did she'd have mentioned it, hadn't she? Besides, they were all present at my wedding and she wasn't in the least surprised."

Inuyasha pursed his lips.

"Everything alright between you and your wife?"

Miroku looked a little embarrassed.

"I'm hardly comfortable sharing that sort of information with my own elder brother but yeah, things are as right as they should be."

At that, Inuyasha had to let the matter go. But still, like the beating of the wings of an insect, in a place separate from reason his mind was uneasy. However he tried, he couldn't completely discard the witness of his eyes.

* * *

It was late at night. The guests had already departed. The Taishous were scattered in the house, talking in small groups.

Stealthily, a silhouette merged with the darkness of the upstairs parlour.

For a moment, the room was partly lit up by the soft blue light of a phone. The figure put the phone to its ear, smothering its glow with a scarf.

"Why are you calling at this hour?" it whispered, while throwing a quick nervous glance over its shoulder.

"Had fun at the party?" the voice at the other end was excited, even malicious.

"You didn't tell me you'd be there!"

"So? You didn't like my nice surprise?"

There was a slight pause.

"What exactly are you planning to do?"

"Patience, my dear. You'll get to know everything…very soon. By the morning press, if not earlier."

"Listen…you're planning something bad, aren't you?"

"Bad is a subjective word."

"Listen to me…"

Through the phone came floating the cackling laughter of a lunatic. Then the call disconnected.


	5. Bedtime Stories

Miroku adjusted his telescope as he struggled to take a call. Then, giving up the prospect as hopeless, he shrugged and continued on his way toward the terrace. Kagome poked her head out of her room. Seeing Miroku in the corridor, she faintly raised her brow.

"I'm just going to the terrace, to do a little star-gazing," Miroku explained.

Kagome smiled at him. Miroku was pleasantly surprised to see the familiar mischievous grin back on her face. It seemed to him that she was living under a cloud for the past one week.

"I don't know what star has captured your heart," she said in a teasing tone, "But be careful where you point that thing at," her eyes indicated the telescope, "The neighbours might complain."

Miroku reddened in spite of himself.

"I'm not into voyeurism, if that's what you are insinuating."

Kagome laughed this time, the corridor ringing with the sound of silver bells.

"Just kidding! But isn't it time for bed now? Or is Sango going to join you up there?"

"No, she's all tired out from the party. I think she's downstairs at the parlour with Mom and the Iron Lady."

"Oh, is she? Then I'll run downstairs."

It was Miroku's turn to grin.

"I gather that you've been in hiding in order to avoid being bored to death by our revered elders?"

"Well, they're not exactly my definition of cheerful company," Kagome muttered under her breath.

"I daresay. By the way, sister Ayame is also currently reposing there."

"That traitor! I specifically asked her to give me a buzz when goes downstairs."

"Nowadays her phone is mostly occupied by an unknown mystery lover," Miroku replied with a wink.

That sobered up Kagome. Her pensive gaze fell on Miroku.

"You really think she's having an affair? I thought the whole thing would blow over in a month or so."

"Difficult to say. She does seem pretty pre-occupied lately."

"What about Kouga? Is she going to leave him?"

Miroku shrugged.

"Why don't you have a bit of a chat with her? She's more likely to confide in you than in me anyway."

Kagome nodded in the affirmative.

"Brother Inuyasha is out of catch a crook, I believe?"

"Not _a_ crook but _the_ crook. It seems like our cosh-wielding maniac plans to strike again tonight."

Miroku knitted his brows.

"Have they been able to identify him?"

"From what I've overheard, it seems that some foreign intelligence is at work. The old woman who was hit on the head has turned out to be an informant on our side."

"Which is why Sesshoumaru has involved himself, hmm."

The remark was followed by an awkward silence that often hangs in the air after a conversation dries up. Kagome smiled again.

"Well, carry on with your pursuit while I go carouse in the company of _les belle femmes_."

Miroku snorted.

"I doubt there'd be any 'carousing' with the _mamans_ around."

* * *

As Sango looked around, she felt warm and content. The parlour with its cheerful fire and antique furniture was the perfect scene of cosy domesticity. Madre was reclining in an arm chair, her eyes partly hidden behind half-moon glasses as she idly turned the pages of a book. Izayoi was putting the china back into their respective boxes – it was a task she chose to do herself every year. Ayame was playing old classics on the gramophone. Kagome was telling her about how she and Inuyasha had got trapped in a blizzard on their honeymoon.

As Sango listened to her anecdotes, the music playing in the background, suddenly she felt a sharp pang in her heart.

In her mind she could still relive the terrifying car accident that killed both her parents, making her and Kohaku orphans over the night. She could recall the two of them being shunted from one house to another, living on the mercy of their distant relatives as they grew up. But with the Taishous, it was like she had a home…a family…like she finally found a place where she so completely belonged. The assuring presence of parents and elder brothers, the loving company of sisters, and Miroku…crazy, stubborn Miroku…

Sango had always knocked aside Miroku's hand, scorning him as an arrogant player. But in the last one month her whole perspective had been overhauled. Her husband's earnest eyes and kind words, his seamless assimilation of her into his own life, the way he looked after Kohaku and supported her…

The other day she had accompanied him to a writers' conference. Putting his arm around her waist, he had introduced her to his fellow writers, his eyes shining with pride, even though she had no literary flair at all. It took her a while to realize that the shining adulation was meant for _her_, not for her looks or accomplishments. Just by being there she had made him happy. She did not need to _do_ anything for him return. For Sango, who had been brought up on the mercy of other people, this idea had taken a while to sink in.

Tears sprang, unbidden, into Sango's eyes. She needed to do something swiftly, before it was too late, before she was trapped forever. Almost mechanically, she rose from her chair. Kagome looked at her with a twinkle in her eyes.

"If you are going to look for Miroku, he's in the terrace with the stars."

Blushing lightly, Sango hurriedly made her exit.

There was the clinking of a bracelet as Madre stifled a yawn. She turned her glance towards Ayame.

"Go upstairs, Ayame, you look tired."

The girl started, her fingers pausing on the gramophone pin.

"But…I'm not tired, Madre."

Kagome drew her breath. It was the first time that somebody in the house had openly contradicted Madre. Her eyes instinctively went to the older woman.

Madre's eyes smouldered with a definite force that accentuated her cold, arrogant beauty.

"Yes you are, dear, your face tells it."

Ayame pulled up her chin defiantly.

"I _told_ you I'm not tired."

Kagome decided it was time to intervene. In a soft, gentle voice she said, "I'll come up with you, Ayame."

Madre said: "No, you won't. I'd like a word with you. Ayame shall go up alone."

Ayame stood, defiant. She looked appealingly at Izayoi. But the latter went on putting away the china in boxes, apparently oblivious to the goings on inside the room. The girl's emerald eyes snapped back at Madre.

"What gives you so much control over our lives? You are not even a part of this family! Then why do you always hang around us?"

Madre closed the book with a loud snap and took off her glasses. Then she leaned forward in her chair.

"Do you know, girl, who this house belongs to?" she hissed venomously, "_It was built with my father's money._ And it was my _father_ who gave your father the money to start his business with. Your mother was no more than a penniless secretary when he married her! It was I who allowed her and her rabble to live here, to avoid a scandal. After all, your daddy is also the father of my child - I couldn't exactly turn him out on the street!"

Kagome's jaw dropped to her stomach as she tried to absorb this piece of information. Izayoi continued to keep her head down and almost buried her face in the china. On the other side of the room, Ayame was struggling to hold her defiant pose.

A moment later, her shoulders drooped. Without a word she walked out of the room.

Making sure that she was out earshot, Madre turned her eyes toward Izayoi.

"That you are a careless housewife is obvious from the way you keep this house," she cast a condescending glance around the perfectly decorated room, "But your carelessness as a mother astounds me, Izayoi."

Izayoi looked up, surprise written in her frank blue eyes. Madre took no notice of it.

"First you let Ayame run away with that pathetic excuse of a man, and now you are letting her carry on with that Professor right under your nose!"

Izayoi raised an eyebrow.

"Professor?"

"The whole campus is aware of it. Tongues are wagging already. I know that you are a woman of little repute but at least think of your poor husband!"

Kagome held her breath. Even though Madre had always held Izayoi and her children in contempt, she had never stooped this low. However, Izayoi was not in the least perturbed.

"They are mistaken," she replied evenly.

There was a moment's pause.

"And that's all you have to say?"

"Ayame and Kouga are happy with each other. That's all there is to it."

Madre turned toward Kagome.

"I see that it is useless talking to your mother-in-law. I expected as much. Kagome, you are to talk sense into your sister-in-law. She is not to jeopardize this family's honour with her shenanigans. If she wants to pursue her affair, then she must divorce her husband properly. Two-timing is unacceptable in a lady of her social stature."

Kagome had to bite the retort that had come to the tip of her tongue, her thought lingering on the cook's unfortunate daughter.

* * *

Ayame pouted as she made her way through the corridor.

_'Stupid, stupid woman,'_ she repeated bitterly under her breath.

In all the world, if there was a person she could throttle with her bare hands, it was Madre.

As she paused in the corridor to clear her head, however, a more urgent matter invaded her thoughts. She needed to resolve something - and the quicker, the better. Almost unconsciously, she nodded her head.

_'I can't put off the inevitable. It's time I had a talk with Kouga.'_

As she stood in front of her room, Ayame took a few deep breaths. Kouga was probably awake. She did not know how her husband was going to react to her news. Kouga had a rather formidable temper when it was aroused, and of late he had been in a perpetually bad mood. For some reason, Ayame was feeling rather scared.

Gathering her courage, she pushed open the door. The room was totally dark.

_'Hasn't Kouga even bothered to switch on the light?'_

She pushed the switch, and then blinked in surprise.

There was nobody in the room.

* * *

Myouga shook his head as he looked at the clock. It was ten minutes past midnight.

_'What's wrong with the men of the house?'_

First it was Master Sesshoumaru and Master Inuyasha who went out. Then Kouga. Then Master Miroku. Now Lord Taishou himself went out for a stroll.

Well, there was no need for him to wait up. Lord Taishou said he had taken the keys and the rest wouldn't return before morning. Myouga switched off the light in his room and pulled up the blanket. He was looking forward to some much needed rest after the day's work.

He did not know how long he had slept. His slumber was broken by the sound of the telephone. He opened his eyes, thinking it was morning already. To his surprise, the room was pitch dark.

Blinking, he sleepily looked at his watch.

The phosphor-painted hands showed the time to be five minutes to three.

Outside in the hall there was a high-pitched wail.


	6. Tragedy

It was almost midnight when Naraku entered his apartment. The sensor-activated lamps lit up, revealing a plush, modern space strewn with books and journals. A laptop lay upon a glass-topped table, with comfy leather sofas to its right and a television set to its left. The floor was covered with a soft, beige rug.

A kitchen space gleamed behind the sofa. Next to it there was a mini bar. The entire apartment spelt refinement and sophistication.

The owner of the apartment threw his coat upon the sofa, walked up to the bar and extracted a can of beer. Returning to the sofa he switched on his laptop and started typing furiously, occasionally stopping to gulp down some beer. After some time he stopped typing and scanned the result, giving it a satisfied nod. He then selected a specific email address and mailed the document.

Picking up his phone he made a call.

"Hullo…Yeah, I've made the arrangements…No, no, we don't need to involve her at all…Yeah, you'll get to know by tomorrow…No, I'll reach you."

Keeping the phone down, Naraku sat for a while, holding his temples between his fingers. Then he rose abruptly. He put on his coat again, and reached for a pack of cigarettes.

Within seconds he was out of his apartment.

* * *

Kuranosuke was in a foul mood as he drove through the empty intersection.

After he left the Taishou residence, he had made a beeline for the casino. He was feeling unusually cheerful, and it was too early to turn in anyway.

But it simply wasn't his lucky day. After a few rounds of roulette, his pocket was considerably lighter than before. The croupier was also distinctly unfriendly toward him – Kuranosuke could feel the difference the last few times he had visited the casino.

_'He must have known that I'm neck-deep in debt…'_

He had received 'the call' quite a few times in the last week. There were strangers keeping watch over him. They always kept the most discrete distance, but he could feel their presence nonetheless. He was beginning to get desperate.

If his father got to know about it, there was a good chance he's be thrown out of the house. Keiichiro belonged to the old school where convention and respectability were given primacy even over family. Already the old man frowned upon Kuranosuke's life choices.

The young aristocrat swore under his breath. His glorious plan of winning at the roulette and paying his debt with the win was going seriously awry. At this rate, the day would soon come when he would have to start worrying for his safety…maybe even for his life.

Of course, he had friends he could count on. At least, one friend in particular. And if he refused to help, well then that would make Kuranosuke very angry.

He vaguely remembered a scene from his childhood. There was a boy who had refused to let him play with his rocking horse. Kuranosuke was so angry, he had pushed the boy off the roof…

Frightened eyes looked into the rear view mirror of the car. Sure enough, there was the other car following him, albeit at a distance.

Kuranosuke's eyes went to the backseat of his car, where a pair of golf clubs lay innocently gleaming, illuminated by the light from the street lamps.

* * *

Mouryoumaru whistled light-heartedly as he rung the doorbell to his house. A butler in a livery opened the door, and stood respectfully aside, waiting to take his coat. A young woman in blue pyjamas and a ponytail came running down a flight of stairs.

"You're early," she said.

"Is that such a bad thing?" Mouryoumaru asked, as he took the woman in his arms.

"Of course! You've cut short my play time with the girls," the woman complained, as she leaned her head affectionately against his broad chest.

"No need to worry! I'll be going out shortly."

Immediately the woman extricated herself from him, and looked into his eyes.

"You mean you'll be going out again? What for?"

"Urgent business. But I'll be back soon, I promise."

Another girl looked over the banister upstairs.

"Aren't you coming, Koharu?"

The woman called Koharu looked up.

"In a minute!"

The other woman waved cheerily to Mouryoumaru and disappeared. Koharu appeared to be vaguely troubled.

"Is something the matter with you?" she asked Mouryoumaru.

"What should be the matter with me?"

"I don't know…but I can sense it. Of late you've changed. A lot. It's as if something is eating you up from inside."

The butler tactfully withdrew from the corridor. Mouryoumaru waited till he was out of sight before he put his hands on Koharu's shoulders.

"It's just stress, Koharu. The new book's coming out~"

"Are you having an affair?"

Koharu blurted out suddenly.

"No…of course not! Really, whatever gave you _that_ idea?"

"You've started keeping secrets from me. You go out of the room to make calls. You stay out of the house the whole night."

"I can explain, Koharu, but right now I don't have the time. Remind me when I return."

"You _never_ have time for me anymore…Is it because you still have feelings for Sango?"

Mouryoumaru tried to laugh. It came out a little fake.

"I've told you dozens of times it was just a silly crush back in high school. She probably didn't even realize I existed. Koharu, you are my woman, my wife, my everything! People move on. I'm happily married now. Sango is happily married now. End of story!"

"I wonder now…yes, I wonder…"

Mouryoumaru shook his head. His face had lost all its former geniality.

"Koharu, don't do this to us. If you keep this up~"

Koharu raised her chin defiantly.

"Then? What if I keep this up?"

Mouryoumaru's eyes had assumed a dark expression. Lowering his voice to a hiss, he whispered into Koharu's ear: "Then I'll make sure you regret it."

Then pushing her aside, he made his way upstairs, leaving Koharu trembling in the corridor.

Once in his study, he opened a safe and took out a roll of cash, stuffing it into his pocket.

Then he bounded down the stairs and stormed out of the house.

* * *

Hakudoushi was home before the clock had struck ten.

He checked his mailbox, hoping for a letter from a publisher. Instead, he found a couple of bills threatening to cut off his essential supplies.

With a sigh he dragged himself to his apartment. The smell of moth balls and stale food assailed his nostrils as soon as he opened the door. His thoughts went to his wife – things would not have gone to such a state if she were alive.

Locking the door, he set to cleaning his house. He had neglected it quite a bit since Kanna's death. He did not harbour any delusions about making it perfect, but at least it could become liveable.

An hour later he washed his hands and sat down upon his bed. He neatly folded the rented tuxedo and kept it upon a rickety table. Reaching out to a shelf, he took Kanna's photo in his hands. For a long time he sat looking at the picture, oblivious to the passing time. Then he put the picture down. From a nearby box he brought out a rosary, and closing his eyes he prayed.

The Virgin Mother smiled serenely from a picture upon a shelf.

* * *

Inuyasha and Sesshoumaru were waiting in the police van, monitoring the traffic on the roads. The former yawned and stretched himself, before asking a subordinate for another cup of coffee. The whole while, Sesshoumaru sat as motionless as a statue.

"So," Inuyasha said as he stifled another yawn, "What's your take on the crimes? Foreign intelligence or madman?"

Sesshoumaru thoughtfully joined the tips of his fingers as he coolly surveyed the monitors.

"The woman has been positively identified as an informant. Not sure about the tramp or the jogger – but then nobody knows all the informants that are working for us. So, is the death of the woman an unhappy coincidence or was she the intended victim all along? In my opinion, it could be either, really."

Inuyasha frowned.

"Hmm. Your snitch says the…" he took a look around and lowered his voice, "The agents of country X are planning a covert op tonight, so if another murder takes place tonight, that'll point rather heavily toward foreign intelligence."

"It could be a red herring, though."

"Right. And assuming we make an arrest, then what? Who gets the man?"

"We'll have to take him for questioning first."

"And if he turns out to be your regular old John Doe you'll hand him over to us."

"That's the plan."

Coffee arrived at that juncture, suspending all conversations between the brothers. Inuyasha took a gulp, letting out a satisfied sigh.

"Nothing like a cup of hot coffee on a cold, winter night."

Sesshoumaru, however, looked unimpressed as he sipped his coffee in silence. After a while Inuyasha picked up the threads of conversation.

"I take it that the snitch is going to call as soon as the agents are on the move?"

Sesshoumaru only nodded curtly in reply.

Right on cue, a sergeant came running toward them, holding out a phone.

"It's the guard of the RoyalGardens, Sir," he addressed Inuyasha, "You better take this."

Tensing, Inuyasha took the phone from the sergeant's hand.

"Taishou."

The voice on the other end sounded scared.

"I-I was doing the rounds in the park…when…when I heard this so-sound."

"Go on," Inuyasha encouraged the guard.

"Well I thought it was we-we-weird, so I went round the bushes. And I saw a man lying there, his head was s…smashed and bleeding. I checked and he's still breathing."

Inuyasha breathed in sharply.

"Have you called the emergency?"

"Ye-yes I have, they said they'll arrive sh-sh-shortly!"

"Good. Does the man have any ID on him?"

"I…I didn't check."

"Alright, thank you for informing us. We'll be arriving shortly. If you know CPR then try to keep him alive, but otherwise don't touch anything."

"N-no…I mean I don't need to check."

Inuyasha frowned.

"I'm sorry?"

"I don't need to check his ID. I…I know him."

"A friend or relative?"

"N-no…but I've re-read his b-books."

A bead of cold sweat ran down Inuyasha's face. In a moment, his worst fears were confirmed.

"_It's Miroku Taishou_!"


	7. Inuyasha Has A Theory

When Inuyasha re-joined his family, his face was grave.

It had been nine hours since Miroku had been brought to the hospital, seven since the start of his surgery. For seven terrifying hours the whole of the Taishou household had waited at the hospital lobby, desperately praying for a miracle. At last a doctor had emerged from the OR and asked to speak to a member of the family. Inuyasha had volunteered to go.

As Inuyasha emerged from the doctor's cabin, his father ran toward him. The older man's hair was dishevelled; the pupils of his eyes were unusually dilated. His hand trembled as he gripped Inuyasha's shoulder.

"H-how's…?"

"His injury seems to be more stable – they're shifting him to the ICU, they'll monitor him closely. But the parts of his brain that are damaged already will likely cause serious impairment, the extent of which we won't know for a while."

"But he'll live, right?"

Izayoi joined them, looking anxious and haggard.

"Is he conscious?"

"Not at the moment. The doctor said he'll need another surgery and possibly a tracheotomy in the next few days if things remain stable. After that, we will just have to wait and see. We don't know if he will be able to breathe on his own without the machine or how much he will be aware of."

Izayoi staggered, as though she was going to fall. An ashen-faced Kagome helped her to a seat. She looked at her husband.

"Another surgery? What were they doing for the last seven hours?"

"They removed a part of his skull to help relieve the pressure inside his brain."

At a low, moaning sound, Inuyasha's eyes went to Sango.

The girl was twisting a handkerchief in her hands while she rocked to and fro, a straggle of hair hiding her face; her clothes looked mismatched, as though she had haphazardly thrown on whatever she could find at hand – a perfect picture of the shocked, grieving wife – perhaps, too perfect.

Immediately Kagome went from Izayoi to Sango, putting her arm around the sobbing girl. In a soft voice she said:

"It's alright, don't worry Sango. He'll be fine, we're all praying for it."

Sango threw off Kagome's hand, looking at her through tear-filled eyes.

"You fool!" she hissed in a broken voice, "Don't you try to console me! With him lying in there…" her voice became high pitched, almost hysterical, "I'm not the one to be consoled!"

Rising from the chair, she ran out of the hospital lobby.

The Taishous looked at one another in surprise.

At that moment Sesshoumaru walked into the lobby. His face was deadly serious.

"Is the surgery over yet?"

Inuyasha again went into the full details of the situation.

When he finished, Sesshoumaru drew him to a quiet corner.

"Any idea who could have been behind it?"

Inuyasha blinked stupidly at Sesshoumaru.

"What do you mean? It must've been the work of the lunatic, isn't it? Why would a spy want to hurt our brother?"

"Could be a warning for me. But I don't think it's likely" Sesshoumaru looked into the space, "A far more important question, however, is what was Miroku doing alone in the park at that late hour?"

Inuyasha blinked again.

"My brain must've stopped working. I never even considered that!"

"That's not all. His phone's gone missing. We tried to call his number but it's not working. It all leads me to believe that unlike the others, this attack was premeditated."

For a while the brothers stood motionless, each absorbed in his own thoughts. Slowly, devastatingly, a sinister solution began suggesting itself to Inuyasha. It was sick, twisted…impossible, he would think, had he not been a police detective for so long.

Inuyasha looked straight into his brother's amber eyes.

"What if _all_ the attacks were premeditated?_ What if Miroku was the intended victim all along, and those other murders were just cover ups, so it would look like the work of a random madman?_"

Sesshoumaru's eyes widened in surprise, but only for a moment. Then he nodded slowly.

"The other murders were more _circumstantial_ in nature," Inuyasha went on, "The tramp sitting in the dark, the shop owner locking his store at night, the old lady returning from the supermarket – the victims could just _happen_ to be where they were at the time of their murders. But Miroku had no _reason _to be where he was, other than a deliberate assignment."

"Or a lover's tryst," Sesshoumaru commented dryly.

Inuyasha tossed his head toward the rest of the family.

"Let's ask the ones who were at home."

Sesshoumaru heaved a sigh.

"I wouldn't like to trouble them with questions at this hour, but I'd hate even more to see whoever has done this getting away."

Inuyasha growled in anger.

"I'd like nothing more than to see them behind bars for the rest of their sorry lives."

The brothers returned to Mr. Taishou, Izayoi, Madre and Kagome, who were waiting in the lobby of the hospital. Inuyasha took out his notebook.

"When was the last time any of you saw Miroku?"

Kagome looked up.

"I spoke to him, just before going to the downstairs parlour. He said he was going to the terrace to do some star-gazing."

Sesshoumaru frowned.

"Did he disclose what he meant to do afterwards?"

Kagome shook her head.

"I assumed he didn't have any plans. He seemed pretty relaxed."

"I see. Did any of you speak to him after that?"

Mr. Taishou and Izayoi shook their heads. Izayoi was the one to speak.

"I was downstairs at the parlour putting away the china. Your mother was there, so was Ayame. Sango joined us afterward, and Kagome last of all. We sat there till one… I remember hearing the clock chime. Then we went to bed. I assumed Miroku was already in his room."

Sesshoumaru asked: "Did you leave the parlour together?"

Kagome shook her head.

"Madre sent Ayame to bed earlier."

Inuyasha asked: "Where's Ayame, by the way?"

"We asked her to remain at home and wait for Kouga."

"You mean Kouga wasn't home last night?"

Both Izayoi and Kagome shook their heads. Inuyasha and Sesshoumaru exchanged a glance. Sesshoumaru resumed questioning.

"So, Ayame went to bed earlier, and then you, Madre, Kagome and Sango~"

"No, not Sango!" Kagome interrupted, "She had left earlier to join Miroku."

Inuyasha's heart beat fast within his chest.

"And yet she didn't tell you that Miroku was not at home?"

"No. When we received your call, she was sitting in the downstairs parlour. She said she was waiting for Miroku," Kagome said.

"Is something the matter?" Mr. Taishou began to ask, but by then both brothers had sprinted out of the hospital.


	8. Double Tragedy

"You _said_ nobody was going to get hurt…"

The voice on the other end sounded casual – almost callously so.

"It's called collateral damage."

"…You're crazy! I'm going to the police!"

"You'll do no such thing. Just calm down…take a few deep breaths…"

"No! I _won't_ be a pawn to your schemes anymore, you hear me? I'm calling the cops!"

"You fool! Don't make me do something I'll regret later," the voice was suddenly serious, menacing.

"Or What? You'll kill me too?"

There was complete silence for one, terrifying moment. Then the rasping voice drawled out again.

"Not you, maybe, but someone you love more than your life…"

* * *

Inuyasha and Sesshoumaru bounded up the stairs three at the same time, skidding to a halt in front of Sango's room. The door was closed.

"Sango, open the door _this minute_!" Inuyasha banged loudly on the door.

"We need you to answer a few questions," Sesshoumaru informed calmly.

Sango did not answer. Myouga came up the stairs and looked on in bewilderment.

"Sango if you don't open the door we'll have to break it down!" Inuyasha shouted from the corridor.

Still no reply came from within the room.

"We have no choice but to break down the door," Sesshoumaru said as he backed away from the door. Inuyasha followed suit.

"Would you be needing a chair or something, Sir?" Myouga offered helpfully.

"No time," murmured Sesshoumaru as the brothers broke into a run and threw themselves against the wooden fixture. The wood groaned and creaked but nothing happened.

"Again!"

At the third try, the wood splintered, causing the men to hurtle inside the room. They had to clutch the corner of the bed to stop themselves from toppling over.

As he steadied himself, Inuyasha looked around the room. There seemed to be no sign of Sango. Then he gave a gasp as his gaze went to the four-poster bed.

_Sango lay there, calm as though she were merely asleep. Her right hand was coiled around a small bottle. _

For one, panic-stricken second, Inuyasha and Sesshoumaru looked at each other. Then Sesshoumaru ran over to the girl, trying to administer CPR as Inuyasha took out his phone and called the ambulance.

Within minutes they could hear the screeching siren of an ambulance below. The paramedics rushed into the room and carried off Sango's limp frame upon a stretcher.

* * *

"We need to search this room - although I doubt we'll find Miroku's phone in here. It's at the bottom of the river by now, going by my experience. Did you get Sango's phone?" Inuyasha asked as soon as the ambulance drove out of the premises.

"Got it," Sesshoumaru said as he bounced the article in his hand, "She has damaged her SIM card, though. We'll need to take it to the forensics."

"I can't _believe_ she's committed such a terrible crime!" Inuyasha said disgustedly.

"We don't know the exact extent of her involvement in this."

"But…look here, she must be hiding _something_. Her behaviour is suspicious to say the least! Not telling anybody that Miroku wasn't home last night, being downstairs already when the phone rang, damaging her SIM…"

"I agree – about the suspicious part. But if she were to kill Miroku, would she try to commit suicide afterward? It doesn't make any sense, psychologically speaking."

"To hell with your psychology," Inuyasha growled impatiently.

Sesshoumaru looked quizzically at Sango's phone.

"Could it be that, overcome with horror at what she had done and the long strain of trying to act like the grief-stricken wife, she had popped a sleeping-pill too many? Or did her feeling of subconscious guilt make her want the crime to be discovered?"

Inuyasha frowned. "Maybe she didn't plan it through…or maybe she just lost her nerves or something?"

Sesshoumaru ran his fingers gracefully through his long hair.

"Or maybe…just maybe…she was an unwilling accomplice in this case."

"Then why did she help the assailant?"

"She might have had her reasons. Inuyasha, just because you are tired doesn't mean you will go on spouting whatever nonsense comes to your mind. You are a detective, no matter how inferior, and you should act like one. Now sit down for a moment and _think_ like a rational being."

Inuyasha squeezed his eyes shut.

"Gah...alright, already! I'll _think_, goddammit!"

Sesshoumaru coldly regarded him for a moment.

"That's better. Now, let's have your theory."

"She might help the assailant because he was blackmailing her."

"That's good!"

"Hey! What's with the tone like I'm a dog who just learnt to flush the toilet?"

"You thinking is no less of a miracle. Alright, so Sango was possibly being blackmailed. What would be your course of action?"

Inuyasha swore under his breath. _What's with that horrible personality?_ Sesshoumaru was acting like he was talking to a first grader.

"I need to check her past records-"

"Question her relatives who brought her up."

"That as well. Or else maybe he has threatened harm to Kohaku? But I don't see how, seeing as he lives in another city."

"An accident is easily arranged from afar."

"It's a possibility."

Inuyasha looked out of the window, as though he was trying to see something far away.

"Sesshoumaru, do you think the person who attacked Miroku was the one that killed all those other people?"

Sesshoumaru shrugged.

"Either he tried to hide one murder by making it a part of a series of murders – so as to throw the police off his track and prompt them to search for the illusory 'madman', or the two are totally unrelated – he only used the situation to his advantage by emulating the other killer. That's all I can say at the moment."

Inuyasha closed his eyes.

"I really don't know what to think anymore. My own brother fighting for his life, my sister-in-law a probable accomplice or worse…an unknown murderer roaming free…what happened to life as it used to be?"

_"Sometimes, the biggest threat comes not from outside, but from the enemy within."_

"It doesn't help things any that everybody's keeping things from me."

Sesshoumaru arched an eyebrow but did not comment.

"I'll need to go somewhere on business today. I'll be back tomorrow. Investigate the matter as you think best. Pay close attention to Miroku's so-called _friends_. Keep a tab on Sango. Take her statement the moment she regains consciousness. "

"_If_ she regains consciousness."

"It's in our interest that she does. We don't know when Miroku will be able to speak again. Even if he does, there's a good chance that he might not know who hit him – the initial blow was to the back of his head, remember? Sango's our safest bet."

Inuyasha suddenly tensed.

_"That means the killer might try and get her out of the way before we get a chance to speak to her."_


	9. Kagome's Confession

Inuyasha poked his head into the hospital cafeteria, looking for Kagome. He found her sitting at a table with a cup of coffee in front of her. He would have joined her, but she rose from the table and came out into the passage, shutting the door behind her. Taking his arm she led him out of the facility and into the parking lot, which was largely empty of population.

"Inuyasha," she said, "What is this about? Was Sango behind the attack on Miroku?"

It was a few hours since Sango had been admitted to the hospital. The contents of her stomach had been pumped out immediately, but she hadn't regained consciousness yet. Kohaku had been informed of Sango's conditon and he was on his way to the city. Mr. Taishou and Izayoi had to be sent home, as they were not feeling well. Madre had to leave on urgent business. Kagome was the only one who had remained behind.

Inuyasha violently scratched his head.

"I really don't know, Kags."

"You don't?"

"Honestly, Kags, have any of the family ever tried to know her, or even talked to her at length, since she started living with us?"

"No, I guess not. Why should we? I, for one, assumed there'd be plenty of time to do it."

"That's the thing – you assume too much…How did Sango meet Miroku? How did they fall in love? Wasn't she an orphan shunted from one house to another?"

"So?"

"I don't like the type of young woman who makes up a hard luck story and marries a very rich man on the strength of it. I've a perfect right not to like that type of young woman, and there is no earthly reason why I should pretend I do. If I were in your position, I'd have paid a lot more attention to what she said or did."

"I wasn't particularly well-off before you married me, Inuyasha," Kagome spoke rather coldly.

"You're okay - I didn't marry you out of pity, I married you for the woman that you are."

"So you resent the fact that your brother married Sango just because he was taken in by her story?"

"He couldn't, of course, have visualized that it would lead to murder..."

Kagome laughed. "Funny that you think it is_ I_ who assumes too much."

There was a short silence.

Then Kagome said: "What are murderers like, Inuyasha?"

"Who knows? If you ask me, based on my experience I'd say they're ordinary people like you and me. I'm not speaking of gangster stuff and professional killers – or the high up ones Sesshoumaru has to deal with. No, the everyday murders are committed by people we meet on the streets everyday. They've been in a tight place – blackmail, fiscal troubles, or they've wanted something very badly – a man or a woman, a job – and they've killed to get it. The brake that operates with most of us doesn't operate with them. I'd say they're guided only by instincts."

"Instincts?"

"Consider a child – he is guided only by instincts. He pushes another from the rooftop because the other child has made him angry – or has got something he desires. His blind instincts don't know right from wrong. Later on, of course, he gets to know that it is wrong – that he'll be punished if he does it – usually very early in life. It is imbued so deeply within his psyche that he begins to develop a moral aversion to it. But some people remain morally immature. They continue to be aware that murder is wrong, but they do not feel it. They don't feel remorse…for them murder is necessary – the victim has 'asked for it,' it was 'the only way'."

Kagome looked at Inuyasha in awe. She always admired it when her husband talked so knowledgeably about his profession. But then again, Inuyasha had studied criminal psychology in depth before joining the police. He knew so much about the stuff that often Miroku would come to him for help over a particular chapter of his novel.

Thinking of Miroku again cast a shadow over Kagome's mind. She thoughtfully looked at the ground.

"If that's the sort of person you are looking for, Inuyasha, then I can tell you for sure Sango is not a murderess. She might have been an orphan or in a tight position, but her moral compass isn't warped at all."

"You're saying that because the other option offends your sensibilities. But let's look at the cold, hard facts. If Sango is totally guiltless, why didn't she raise an alarm on not finding Miroku in the terrace last night?"

"On the contrary, I think it shows her lack of guilt. Think for a while, Inuyasha. If I were to go into my room and not find you there, am I likelier to raise an alarm or to wait for you patiently downstairs?"

Inuyasha knitted his brows as he pondered on the question. More than anything, his behavior amused Kagome.

_'He's so stubborn, like a hound. Once he's got a blood trail it'll take all the reason in the world to make him change his course.'_

The attitude was both a boon and a bane in his career.

"But then why did she take the pills?" he continued...well, doggedly.

"Shock? Grief? Love?"

"And why damage her phone records?"

Kagome shook her head.

"I don't know…I just can't believe someone in our family to be a murderess…it's like a nightmare—so fantastic—I can't believe it's real!"

"Of course, it would've helped if people told me the _truth _about things more often."

A faint shadow ruffled Kagome's face.

"What do you mean?"

"I asked Miroku if things were fine between him and Sango."

The shadow lifted.

"Oh, that."

"And you."

Kagome's face had gone deathly white. She tried to run her tongue over her dry lips.

"Me? What do you mean?"

Inuyasha's eyes bore down upon her with a relentless intensity.

"You haven't been honest with me either, Kagome. Yesterday, you weren't at home during the party. Where'd you go?"

Kagome tried to laugh, but it seemed that she had lost her voice.

"Me? Go out? You must be mistaken."

"No, I was _not_ mistaken. You weren't in the hall for the most part of the evening."

"Then I must've popped into the kitchen to oversee the preparations or in our room making a call."

_"Or in your Bentley, driving out of the premises."_

Kagome drew her breath sharply.

"No…I didn't…"

"I saw you myself."

Kagome swallowed. She cast her glance around, trying to think up something. Then, suddenly, her shoulders sagged. Her head hung in resignation.

"Alright…I'm sorry, I should've told you…" her voice was barely a whisper.

Inuyasha knew there was more to come. He waited for her. Presently, Kagome looked up pleadingly.

"I…it all started when Kouga came to me…about a week ago. He said your father was going to throw him out of the business and Ayame was thinking of getting a divorce. He was in a tight spot, he said he'd be finished. He wanted to start a business of his own but he was short of money."

"How short?"

Kagome mentioned a large amount of money. Inuyasha raised his brows.

"Continue."

"I felt bad for him…" Kagome took a quick glance at Inuyasha. Her compassion for Kouga had already caused quite a few nasty rows with her husband. This time Inuyasha looked quite composed, however, so she felt encouraged to go on. "At that time I didn't have the money on me. B-but he needed it urgently…so I gave him the brooch Izayoi gave me for the wedding, and a few other jewellery."

"Brooch? You mean the diamond and sapphire one?"

Kagome nodded, looking at her feet.

"That was a family heirloom, Kagome," Inuyasha commented dryly.

"I know. I didn't give it away completely…I gave it so he could pledge it in order to get the cash. You remember I revamped Lady Urasue's place last spring? She was dallying with the payment for along time…she finally gave the money yesterday…before the party. I...I couldn't wait any longer…trust me, Inuyasha…the whole of last week has been a nightmare for me…the lying, the constant fear…I though Izayoi would ask me to wear the brooch for the party…I had to sneak around, avoid her company as much as possible…oh! It was dreadful!"

The performance – if it was a performance – was of a high standard. But Inuyasha felt that it was not a performance at all – it was exactly as she had said it. He would check with the jeweller, of course, he thought as he took the name and address from Kagome. Then he looked at his wife more kindly.

"Kags, your jewellery is yours to keep or give away. Still, as your husband, I thought I had a right to know."

Tears sprang to Kagome's cerulean eyes.

"I'm sorry, Inuyasha! I know I should've told you. It's just…it's just that you get angry so easily when it comes to Kouga that I thought you'd refuse to help him."

Inuyasha sighed as he pulled Kagome in a tight embrace.

"You should've trusted me a little more. I take it that you have the brooch in your possession?"

"I've kept it in the safe."

"Which leaves me with only one question – what is Kouga doing with such an obscene amount of money on him."

Kagome looked up, surprised.

"I told you…he's going to start his own business."

"That's what he has told you. But you have no proof of it, do you?"

"No…but only because I didn't ask for it. If he didn't need the money to start his business then what is he doing with it?"

"I don't know…_but if you hire an assassin to do your dirty business, you'd need to pay him well._"


	10. Inuyasha Investigates

Inuyasha had been busy with some sleuthing of his own, besides giving instructions to his subordinates, and so it was evening when he finally walked into Naraku's office. The latter looked up from behind a pile of papers. On seeing Inuyasha he gave a wan smile, and indicated the chair opposite to him.

"I'm really sorry to hear about Miroku. A terrible business. I can only believe that it must have been the work of the madman!'" he said as his intelligent eyes scanned Inuyasha's face.

"Is that your take on the matter?"

"My take? My take is that you should search the records of the lunatic asylums in and around the city. There must be a madman at large. Erm…are you investigating the matter?"

"That's right," Inuyasha said.

"So, what are your findings?"

"I'm not at a liberty to say that…yet."

"Oh, I see" Naraku looked a tad disappointed.

"Just where were you, Naraku, after you left the party last night?"

Naraku blinked once.

"Let me see…I left around eleven so I believe I was inside my apartment."

"You believe no such thing. The concierge in your building saw you leave at one and return at three in the morning."

Naraku stared at Inuyasha. Inuyasha could sense that behind the serenely amiable face the man was doing some quick mental calculations. Finally, he took a deep breath.

"Alright, I daresay it's going to come out sooner or later. But I trust you to keep things confidential unless absolutely necessary."

Inuyasha gave him the required assurance and he continued.

"I went to the house of a student…Kagura…she and I…well, we are sort of…" he paused eloquently.

Inuyasha nodded in comprehension.

"Naturally, if word gets out it'll be the end of my career."

"I need the address of this girl."

Naraku obediently wrote the address on a piece of paper and gave it to Inuyasha.

"I shall also need to check your call history."

Naraku handed his phone over to Inuyasha. He scanned through the call list, stopping at an unsaved number. It looked vaguely familiar to him.

"You made a call around half past midnight. Who did you make that call to?"

Naraku's face twisted into an ironic smile.

"You don't know your own brother-in-law's phone number?"

"Kouga? What did he want with you?"

"What would one want from a professor? A letter of recommendation, of course. He wants to pursue his education at a foreign university. But for whatever reason, he doesn't want Ayame to know about it. He had applied a few months back and I believe he got provisionally selected today."

Inuyasha took a while to process the information through his mind. _'So, Kouga is planning to go abroad…'_

"One last question," Inuyasha said as he rose from the chair, "Did you know Sango from before her marriage?"

"Miroku's wife? No, I don't believe I did."

* * *

Hakudoushi received Inuyasha at his small, dingy apartment. The door to the house was narrow and Inuyasha almost collided into a holy water font kept beside it.

Now that the rented tuxedo was off him, Hakudoushi looked even shabbier in his faded shirt and pyjamas.

Inuyasha sat down upon a threadbare sofa, casting his glance around the drawing room. The walls were covered with a discoloured wall paper. A refrigerator stood in a corner, with at least a million post-its and magnets upon it. There were a few photos as well – of Hakudoushi and a woman whom Inuyasha assumed to be the late Mrs. Hakudoushi. There was a table in front of the sofa with a cheap vase containing a bunch of half-dead chrysanthemums in it. The entire apartment reeked of garlic.

"I was sorry to hear about Miroku," Hakudoushi said in a low voice, "After all, he's the one friend who's stuck by me through thick and thin ever since we were fourteen. I wanted to go visit but…you see, my wife died of a protracted illness. For months, my routine was from home to the hospital and back again…I've had enough of hospitals."

"I'm sorry about your wife…it must have been terrible for you to lose her."

"Kanna was my soul mate," Hakudoushi said with a half-smile, "It sounds silly, saying such things at this day and age. But really, without her I feel like half my soul is gone."

Inuyasha took a look at a picture upon the refrigerator.

"How did she die?"

"Lupus – she used to have aches and pains all the time. The doctors warned her not to get pregnant, that she wouldn't be able to handle the stress of it. But she wanted a child. She couldn't carry it full term…had to deliver it at five months. Stillborn it was. Kanna was heartbroken. She stopped taking her medicines on time or following the doctor's orders. She just wasted away right in front of my eyes."

"My sympathies," Inuyasha said in a gentle voice. Then he added: "I won't trouble you with a lot of questions. But there's something I would like to know."

Hakudoushi looked at him inquiringly.

"What did you do after you left the party last night?"

Hakudoushi tore at the end of his untucked shirt.

"Last night? Well, I left around ten and came home. I went upstairs…no, I think I checked the mail first – hoping that a publisher might've replied. Found a bunch of bills instead."

"Continue."

"Then I came upstairs, undressed, cleaned the apartment – I haven't been taking care of things since Kanna died."

"How long did you clean?"

"About an hour, perhaps. Then I folded away the tuxedo, said my prayers and went to bed."

"You didn't go out again?"

Hakudoushi looked surprised.

"Why would I? It was late enough already."

"Did you make or receive any phone calls?"

"I didn't."

"Can I have a look at your phone?"

Hakudoushi passed his phone to Inuyasha. Inuyasha went through the call history but found nothing suspicious in it. Hakudoushi hadn't made or received any call last night.

_'Of course, he might have erased the call,'_ Inuyasha thought as he noted down the number. _'I'll have to trace all calls made from this number.'_He returned the phone to its owner.

"One last question, have you known Sango from before her marriage?"

Hakudoushi looked at him quizzically.

"No, I haven't met her except once last night and once at her wedding. Why do you ask?"

"Just a formality," Inuyasha said as he rose from the sofa.

"I want Miroku's attacker to be brought to justice - as quickly as possible," Hakudoushi said as he, too, rose, "Miroku is my childhood friend. But that's not all, he...he is like an angel. He never let me feel the gap between us - he has lent me money over the years - even without asking. But never once has he asked for it. There are not many like him in this world. Whoever has attacked him is a fiend, a threat to all that is good in society."

* * *

Kuranosuke was not at home when Inuyasha called. His butler respectfully informed Inuyasha that he would not be coming home that night.

"Does he often stay out of home?"

"Yes, quite often."

"Was he out last night as well?"

"Yes, he returned around four in the morning."

"Do you know where he goes to?"

The butler (Jaken, his name was) shook his head.

"But I can guess – when he comes back he reeks of alcohol and smoke, see. And he brings home these other boys – all very queer looking and they go upstairs and close the door."

With the skill of a conjurer, Inuyasha pressed a crisp note into Jaken's sweaty palm.

"Any idea what goes on behind the doors?"

"I couldn't be sure but you get to hear these noises – and they use these things – whips and candles and handcuffs and what not."

"I see."

Jaken came closer to Inuyasha and said conspiratorially:

"That's not all. The young master is neck-deep in debt, I overheard the other day. They are threatening him – following him around the town. They're scaring the living daylights out of him. He needs money but he can't ask master for it, master would hear none of it. Would disown the young master rather than paying up."

As Inuyasha was leaving, his eyes fell upon a set of golf clubs lying in a corner of the drawing room. He frowned when he noticed that two of them were missing.

* * *

Mouryoumaru came into the room with a swagger. At a glance, Inuyasha took in the broad forehead, the mop of violet hair, the arrogant poise of the head…

He noted something else, too. For all his swagger, Mouryoumaru was a scared man.

"Well, Inuyasha," he said as he squatted down on the expensive leather sofa, "What can I do for you?"

"As you must be aware, Miroku was attacked last night."

"I know…sorry about it. Has he regained consciousness?"

"Not yet, but the doctors are hopeful."

"I take it that Sango has been admitted as well?"

"Yes…I guess it's shock."

Mouryoumaru looked rather amusedly at Inuyasha.

"You think so?"

Inuyasha avoided the topic.

"I just need to ask a few routine questions."

"For what?"

"I'm investigating into the attack on Miroku last night. The police have reason to believe that someone close to him had called him by some ruse to the park in the middle of the night. That's why I need an account of the activities of everyone related to him last night."

Mouryoumaru frowned.

"If I knew Miroku was going to be attacked then surely I'd have kept a minute-by-minute alibi for myself. Seeing that I didn't have a clue, I just went on with my life as usual."

"That would entail?"

"I returned home around midnight and went to bed with my wife."

"Is that all?"

"Are you having doubts? I can call Koharu to testify."

Inuyasha said dryly:

"That won't be necessary. How is your relationship with Miroku?

"We're on the best of terms."

"No professional jealousy?"

"We each have our own niche. No reason to be jealous."

"Romantic rivalry? I take it that you have known Sango since before her wedding."

"Whatever gives you that idea?"

"My men have done background checks on you. Looks like you attended the same high school as she for two years."

For a moment, Mouryoumaru looked almost menacing. But only for a moment. In a blink of an eye, he had put on his jovial mask again.

"Your men are correct, but I never _knew_ Sango. To me she was just a girl like the hundreds of other girls who've studied with me."

"And if I say Sango has told us it was you who conspired with her to harm my brother?"

Mouryoumaru sat up very straight, his hands clenched into fists.

"Has Sango said such a thing?"

"Please answer the question."

"If Sango has said such a thing, then I'll say she's a damn liar. Now please be so kind as to leave this house immediately. You've overstepped your limits as my friend's brother, detective. Come back when you have a warrant."

As Inuyasha emerged out of Mouryoumaru's house, he heard someone softly calling him from behind. He turned around to see a young woman with long black hair and wide set eyes running after him. When she came close Inuyasha thought he could recognize her. It was many years ago bit she was unmistakably –

"Shima?"

The girl nodded her head. Then she asked him, a little unsurely, "Is it true about Miroku? That someone attacked him last night?"

Inuyasha nodded.

"It's true."

Shima looked troubled. She cast a nervous glance behind her shoulder. Then she came very close to Inuyasha and dropped her voice.

"I was staying here with my sister…Koharu…last night."

"And?"

"Mouryoumaru is lying to you. He came home at midnight, but then he went out again. He was carrying a lot of money – I saw him take it from the safe. He was in a rage too – Koharu was accusing him of having an affair with the girl you mentioned – Sango."

"I see," Inuyasha said, "I'll investigate into his whereabouts. You don't worry about it."

"D-do you think it was Mouryoumaru…"

"I don't know yet. Don't worry Shima, everything will be fine. You take care."

Inuyasha's smile changed into a frown as soon as the girl was back inside the house.

_Shima is Mouryoumaru's sister-in-law? Small world, indeed…_

* * *

It was late at night when Inuyasha sat in his study, abstracted in thought. In his mind he was churning over the facts that he had gathered over the day. The events had piled up one on top of the other so fast that he felt like his head was ready to explode. He knew he had gleaned many significant clues during his investigation. But all of it was merging and separating, swirling around in an array of psychedelic colours.

It helped things much that the house had quietened down considerably. Everybody was either asleep or confined to their rooms.

After an hour's agitated theorization, Inuyasha decided to make things more logical. Taking a piece of paper he wrote _Significant Points_. Beneath it, he listed the following.

1. Spate of seemingly random murders in the city

2. Sango was surprised to see one of Miroku's friends at the party

3. Kouga needed a large amount of money – foreign degree?

4. Someone asked Miroku to meet them at the park around half past 2 last night (presumably someone Miroku knew well)

5. Kouga wasn't home last night.

6. Miroku's phone is missing.

7. Sango has damaged her call list.

8. Naraku went out of his apartment around 1 and returned around 3 last night (his apartment is 10 minutes by car from the park).

9. Mouryoumaru and Sango attended the same high school for two years. He wasn't home last night.

10. Kuranosuke is in debt and needs money (ready to kill for it?). Wasn't home last night.

11. Hakudoushi seems grief-struck at his wife's death, badly needs money (enough to kill?).

For a long time Inuyasha sat looking at the list. A motif was leaping to his eyes and fading away. There was something he had seen somewhere that day, that he knew held the key to the whole enigma. But it kept eluding him. The more he tried to grasp it the more it floated tantalizingly out of his grip.

He sighed and hollered at Myouga to fetch him a cup of coffee. Then getting up from his chair, he went to the bookshelf, and took out Inside The Criminal Mind.

It was in the wee hours of the morning when Inuyasha finally snapped the book shut, a triumphant glow in his eyes. Picking up the receiver, he dialed a specific number.

Kagome's brother Souta was one of the upcoming lawyer's of the city.

"Hullo?...hey buddy...sorry to disturb at this hour...as a matter of fact I do. I wish to know the exact circumstances under which a prenup can be revoked, and what are its consequences...mhmm...and if either spouse is to die before that?...mhmm...no I'm not planning to murder your sister, what d'you take me for?..."


	11. Kouga's Decision

The door made a creaking sound. Ayame turned around.

"Kouga!"

She ran to her husband, and put her arms around him. Kouga staggered and took a step back, trying to push Ayame away from him.

Ayame frowned. Kouga felt hot – like he was running a fever. His cornflower eyes were bloodshot, his dark hair ruffled and untidy. Ayame's heart sank a little.

"Are you okay?"

Kouga dragged his feet wearily across the room and squatted down on the bed.

The couple stared at each other for many long moments.

Then Ayame seemed to shake out of her torpor.

"Where have you been all this time?"

"Went to a bar last night and drunk myself silly. Woke up next to a trash can. Couldn't bring myself to enter this house…was walking around the city all day."

"Why?"

Kouga looked at Ayame as a drop of tear rolled down his cheek.

"I've made all the arrangements, Ayame."

"Arrangements?"

"I called Ginta and Hakaku – around a month ago – they are starting a business and I wanted to join as a partner."

Ayame sat down beside Kouga.

"In this country?"

"No…in Spain."

Ayame drew her breath sharply.

"What? We can't move to Spain! I've got my courses~"

"I didn't say you were coming."

Ayame felt like the ground was moving beneath her feet. Her voice shook as she spoke:

"You…you're going _alone_?"

"Yeah…I'm enrolling part time for a course over there. I just got selected…today. It won't be easy juggling work and studies but I'll make it, I guess," he looked into Ayame's startled green eyes. "Come on, you and I…we just don't belong together. I'm sorry…I couldn't give you what you deserve – a husband whom you could be proud of. But I _can_ set you free."

Ayame sat looking at Kouga with a strange expression on her face.

"So _that's_ what you think? That I want to be _free_ from you?"

"Ayame, don't pretend that you are happy in this marriage~"

"That's because you don't have time for me any more! Ever since you joined Dad's business…it's like…it's like something has come over you! Like you've become somebody else! Earlier you used to work two shifts, Kouga, but still we had time to do so many things together – we used to go to the movies, go out for dinner, go to the park…but now you're _always_ working!"

Kouga shouted defensively: "I was only trying to prove myself to your father! Do you think I don't realize that I have no real qualifications? That I don't deserve my job? I think about it all the time! That's why I try so hard to compensate my lack of education with my efforts!"

Ayame opened her mouth to give a sharp retort but something seemed to strike her mind with the force of a thousand hammers. In a flash, Kouga's behaviour became completely clear to her.

"You fool! D'you think Dad gave you the job just because you happened to be his son-in-law? He's not that type of man, Kouga. He values hard work and honesty above all the degrees of the world. He knew you were just the sort of man he needed for his business."

Her words did not lighten Kouga's mood.

"What's the point of saying this now, Ayame? It's too late now…I was working so hard just so your family could be proud of me…so _you_ would be proud of me…and I lost you while doing it."

Ayame got up from the bed and knelt in front of Kouga.

"I'm right here, Kouga."

Kouga turned his face away.

"I know about your 'friend' from college, Ayame."

"Who…that fool Naraku?"

"Naraku?!"

"Oh, it was nothing, Kouga! Just a few coffee dates, nothing more. Naraku…he can be very charming if he likes…and you weren't paying the slightest attention to me…I got lonely. But I stopped it some time ago. He wouldn't give up so I started avoiding his calls…even missed a couple of lectures…that's why I was so embarrassed to see him at the party last night."

"That bastard…" Kouga growled, "And I asked him for a letter of recommendation!"

Ayame giggled in spite of the serious nature of their conversation.

"I bet he was more than happy to send you packing – to Spain, no less."

Kouga scowled at the window.

"And what about the day before yesterday?"

"What about it?"

"You said you were going to meet your friend, Kagura."

"So?"

"Kagura called yesterday. Said you hadn't met her in a month."

Ayame swallowed. _That bitch!_

Her palms became sweaty. She shot a nervous glance at Kouga.

_'I guess I can't put it off any longer…'_

Ayame took a deep breath and closed her eyes.

"I went to the doctor for a check up."

"The doctor?" Kouga frowned. "Are you alright?"

"Well…sort of. _Kouga, we're going to be parents_!"

Kouga sat on the bed for a long time. He had even forgotten how to blink.

Ayame's face fell.

"I know you are planning to move to Spain and I have my classes and a baby will change everything…but I want to keep it, Kouga. Can we? Please?"

With an effort Kouga pulled himself together.

"Are you crazy, wench? Of course we'll keep it! Oh, I can't believe this! I'm the happiest man alive! _Our baby_!"

Smiling broadly he pulled Ayame into a bear hug and clamped his lips over hers. She willingly surrendered to his embrace, closing her eyes in pleasure as they deepened their kiss.

"Have you told your family?" he asked as they broke apart, breathless.

A cloud passed over Ayame's face.

"I didn't get the chance…what with the party and the events afterwards…"

"Events?"

"Oh! That's right, you don't know!"

Ayame went into the details of the night. "I think we should go at once to Inuyasha and explain things," she concluded.

Kouga nodded in agreement.


	12. Inuyasha Explains

Kagome blinked as the light fell in her eyes. As she opened her eyes, she was surprised to see Inuyasha putting on his coat.

"You going somewhere?" she asked sleepily as she sat up in her bed.

Inuyasha came over and kissed her forehead.

"Sorry I woke you up. I'm going to the hospital."

Kagome's eyes went wide with surprise.

_"At this hour?"_

"I must."

"Why?"

"I've laid a trap…I think our killer is going to step right into it."

Sleepy as she was, it took Kagome a few moments to catch the meaning of his words.

"You mean…you know who the criminal is?"

"I have an idea."

"Who's it?"

"I'll explain later. Got to go now. Bye."

"No wait," Kagome jumped out of the bed, "I'm coming with you!"

Inuyasha shook his head.

"No way! This is dangerous, Kagome. You'll be a hindrance rather than a help."

"I won't put myself in danger, I promise…but I won't let you go on your own."

Inuyasha laughed: "You're being silly, Kags."

"No! Sango let Miroku go on his own and look what happened!"

"Kagome, I'm a _cop_!"

Kagome clutched her husband's arms, speaking almost hysterically:

"I _won't_ let you go near the killer…not when I'm not with you! I can't lose you…you hear me? If you won't let me come with you I'll follow you in my car. _You can't stop me_!"

Inuyasha had to give in, as he inwardly cursed all women and their stubbornness: "Alright, get dressed in a minute."

It took Kagome less than a minute to pull on her jeans and a jumper. Inuyasha took her hand as they quietly made their way out of the house and into the car. Kagome fastened the seatbelt as Inuyasha revved up the engine.

"So…who's your suspect?"

Inuyasha looked into the darkness for a minute before replying.

"I'm going to tell you the logic behind my inference first."

Kagome nodded.

"Alright."

"From the beginning, this spate of seemingly mindless murders in the city had me confused. There was something about them which was unusual – which did not _fit_. I could not classify the murderer under any category. For one thing, he had no particular preference in victims – the tramp, the old woman, the shopkeeper – they all differed widely from each other. There was no sexual or racial theme attached to the killings, nor were the people chosen from a particular financial background; they did not stand in the way of anyone – they did not even have a common acquaintance. That's not how the typical psychopath is supposed to behave. If he murders somebody, usually it follows a specific pattern that makes perfect sense to him, if not to anyone else. You appreciate the difficulty?"

Kagome nodded in agreement.

"But then the old woman turned out to be an informant and the case took on a different colour. We began to suspect a foreign intelligence to be at play, there was a possibility that the other victims were informants as well. A snitch had informed us of a covert operation by the agents of a certain country, so I put my doubts out of my head.

"But all that changed when Miroku was attacked. At once it threw the 'foreign intelligence' angle out of the window. At the same time, the 'madman' angle was overshadowed by a more important question that Sesshoumaru drew my attention to – what was Miroku doing alone in the park at that late hour and why was his phone missing? And from there, emerged two possibilities. One, that the attacks on the first three victims were the works of one person – this supposed madman – and the attack on Miroku was the work of another. It is not uncommon for murderers to take advantage of the crimes committed by other people. I kept the hypothesis aside for further consideration."

Again, Kagome nodded her head.

"Then I came to the second possibility – my original hypothesis. What if the attacks pretended to be the work of a madman, but in reality were something else altogether? The tramp, the old woman, the shopkeeper – maybe they were attacked to focus attention on a group of murders…"

Kagome nodded again, a glimmer of understanding forming in her head.

"If you want to hide a rose, put it in a bouquet. When you want to hide an individual murder, hide it in a series of murders."

Inuyasha nodded.

"So I formed my hypothesis – somebody had been planning to murder Miroku for nearly a month. For that reason he has invented a psychopathic killer, has killed three other people. I was looking for someone who was ruthless, cunning and daring. Also, from the fact that Miroku had responded so quickly to his late-night call, someone who was intimately known to him. The next question that faced me was, _why the last one month_? I began to wonder what had happened to Miroku in the last one month and the answer leaped to my eyes – _he had gotten married to Sango_. So I presumed this 'someone' – the plotter – was either Sango herself – or it was someone related to Sango. Does that make sense to you?"

"It does."

"At first I tried to put Sango herself in the position of the murderess. But Sesshoumaru pointed out a few factors that go against this hypothesis. Besides, even if she didn't have an alibi for last night, she did have cast-iron alibis for the nights of the other murders. So she must have been innocent of the crime itself.

"On that presumption, I tried to reconstruct the events of the night of the attack from Sango's point of view - and here I was guided by the conversation I had with you outside the hospital. Sango goes to the terrace to find Miroku. She either finds him there, or does not find him there, assumes he has gone out and waits for him downstairs. I think the former to be nearer to the truth – Miroku doesn't stay out at night, his phone wasn't working – if he didn't return till three in the morning she would have raised an alarm.

"Alright, then she went to the terrace, found him, perhaps he told her that he was going out to meet X and that he might be late, she thinks no harm can come from X so she's completely at ease and patiently waits for him downstairs. Then comes the call, she is shocked and upset, her nerves give in and she takes a sleeping pill too many. So far so good.

"But here I was faced with a riddle – she did not tell the name of the person whom Miroku had gone to meet that night (assuming she knew it) and she erased her call history. Was she trying to shield a murderer? Most likely. Was it for personal gain? As you said, it didn't fit with her nature. Perhaps, she was under some kind of coercion? A threat to Kohaku's well being was indicated. Anyhow, she protected the criminal, and racked by guilt at having indirectly caused great harm to her husband and shielding the person responsible, she took those pills."

Kagome's eyes glistened as she spoke:

"Poor Sango, she suffered so much! And we weren't there beside her…"

Inuyasha nodded his head.

"Even I was unduly harsh on her for the longest time. But now I turned to the person who was operating from the shadows. It must have been someone who was present at the party last night and known to Miroku - I had this definite feeling that Sango was mortally afraid of one of his friends. It also had to be someone who outdoor last night. In other words, Naraku, Mouryoumaru, Kuranosuke…or Kouga."

Kagome shook her head.

"Surely not Kouga!"

"I must confess his behaviour seemed the most suspicious to me. However, his story sounds genuine enough. Besides, there'll be a million eye witnesses who'd have seen him at the bar last night. He could not be the culprit. It had to be one of the others."

"But who?"

"For that I needed to delve into the sort of relationship he had with Sango. There are two possibilities under which a woman stays under the thumb of a man. First, if he was blackmailing or coercing her into complying with him. Sesshoumaru had me investigate in this line. But as far as I saw there was no shameful secret in Sango's past…or Kohaku's. Their lives were pretty normal – nothing out of the ordinary – no drug or criminal record.

"_The other possibility is a love affair_. Sesshoumaru had come very close to the truth when he mentioned a lover's tryst. At that time we were thinking about Miroku's affairs. But what if it was a tryst of a different kind? For example, _a__ tryst between Miroku and Sango's lover_."

Kagome almost choked as she tried to reply.

"A love affair? No way! Sango loves Miroku."

"We don't know that for a fact. I asked Miroku is things were fine between them, and he lied to me. I wouldn't be surprise if their marriage hadn't even been consummated."

"Now you're going too far~"

Inuyasha silenced her with a glance.

"You think I'm taking a voyeuristic interest in my brother's personal life…but in reality a great deal hinges on this point."

Kagome frowned.

"As in?"

"I'll tell you in a moment. Before that, let's consider who had the most likelihood of being Sango's secret lover."

Kagome pondered the question.

"It could not be Kuranosuke – he's not into women. Then it had to be either Naraku or Mouryoumaru. But the whole idea seems absurd, Inuyasha."

"Does it? Kagome, this is not the first time in history that a woman has had a paramour."

"Still…alright, continue."

"I would, but here I faced a stumbling block. Naraku is a single guy, Mouryoumaru got married only three months ago. If either of them were so deeply in love with Sango – enough to kill for it, why didn't they marry her when they were both single? From the facts it is clear that the affair was not a one-sided fantasy – it had clearly been reciprocated. You may argue that they wanted Sango to have Miroku's money first, but that's also a flimsy ground – both earn sufficiently well and belong to very wealthy families. That lead me to think – who among Miroku's friends was the only one who was unable to marry Sango?"

Kagome gasped.

_"Hakudoushi!"_

"That's my inference as well. Hakudoushi makes too big a show of devotion for his late wife, but in my experience, more often than not such claims have tended to be hollow and insubstantial. Let us assume he had begun an affair with Sango while his wife was still alive. As a married man, Hakudoushi could not marry Sango however much he wanted to. He could, of course, divorce Kanna and for a while this point had puzzled me.

"But then I remembered the holy water font beside the door to his apartment and his predicament became clear to me. _Hakudoushi is a catholic,_ _he could not divorce his wife_! Of course, he could get a civil divorce, but a remarriage would still be a mortal sin in the eyes of his church. And he, I suspect, cares deeply about his church and religion. The holy water font itself is testimony to it. I met him for hardly a few minutes and he already mentioned praying."

"Isn't that stretching things a bit?"

"When you come to think of it, it's not surprising, really. Many murderers have had a zeal for religion, even bordering on fanaticism. Sesshoumaru wasn't too far off the mark - a criminal's psychology goes a long way in identifying him."

"This is merely your hypothesis."

"It is, but I don't think I'm wrong. Look at it from the point of view of his psyche. Hakudoushi is the kind of man who is not good looking, hasn't achieved much in life, is likely to be full of complexes. And all his life, standing beside him, was Miroku – good looking, successful, rich – everything he could only aspire to be. I believe he was filled with bitter jealousy toward Miroku. He had to depend on Miroku financially, and he must have loathed every moment of it. I had asked you how Miroku and Sango had met for the first time. Now I'm sure they had met through Hakudoushi. And Miroku, being Miroku, fell in love with her without knowing about her relationship with his childhood best friend. She had rejected him for the better part of a year – remember?"

Kagome slowly nodded her head. What Inuyasha was saying still sounded bizarre, but she could not deny the logic of it.

"So Miroku proposes to Sango. Hakudoushi is tied to Kanna and can't marry Sango. Kohaku encourages Sango to marry Miroku. I believe Sango was caught in a tight place, and giving up on Hakudoushi as a hopeless pursuit she agreed to marry Miroku. Hakudoushi must have been livid with fury, and yet he was castrated by circumstances. Once again Miroku had snatched away something that he greatly desired. And then, just as the marriage was going to take place, by a stroke of luck Kanna died. I don't think Hakudoushi was physically responsible for her death – he wouldn't have waited so long if murder was on his mind. But wilful neglect can go a long way to kill the soul of an ailing woman crushed by the birth of her stillborn child.

"Finally Hakudoushi was free, but by then Sango belonged to his bitter rival. Hakudoushi formed a plan. I don't think he disclosed the plot to Sango, but he must have conveyed his willingness to marry her – perhaps as early as the day of her wedding.

"I don't know what happened subsequently, but at some point Hakudoushi began coveting not just Sango but also Miroku's money. He wanted to live no longer as a pauper but as a rich man. If Sango divorced Miroku she'd have gotten her share of money according to the prenup, but if she refused to consummate the wedding or if Miroku alleged fraud then the marriage would have been annulled. With that, the prenup would've been revoked. Hakudoushi could not afford to take the chance. While there was no guarantee of Sango being a rich divorcee, there was every guarantee of her being a rich widow. Besides, it'd give him a chance to get his revenge on Miroku once and for all. It would've killed two birds with a single stone."

Kagome shivered.

"And for that he committed all those murders?"

"Hakudoushi lives in a secluded part of the city. Nobody would've noticed his whereabouts. Come to think of it, he has no alibi at all. Naraku was in a student's apartment last night. Kuranosuke needed money and Mouryoumaru was seen leaving his house with a thick wad of cash. My assumption is, he went to bail his friend out. I'm sure if I conduct a little investigation the story will be corroborated. However you slice it, Hakudoushi is clearly implicated."

Kagome turned the story over in her head. She looked at Inuyasha.

"So, what are you going to do now?"

"While I'm sure that my deduction is correct, I need proof to arrest Hakudoushi. That's why I've laid this trap."


	13. The Plan

Nurse Mukotsu was making the nightly rounds of the floor, when a sliver of light caught his attention. It seemed to be coming from the broom closet.

Mukotsu frowned, adjusting his glasses on his wide nose.

_'Who could be there at this hour?'_

In his heart he knew that the janitor must have left the light on by mistake. _He did the same thing last week._ Mukotsu made it a point to complain to the authorities.

Clucking his tongue in annoyance, he strode purposefully into the closet.

There was a movement behind him and he felt a sudden blow to his head. And then, the light went out.

* * *

"Right now we don't have a shred of evidence against Hakudoushi. But there's a good chance that it'll change with Sango's statement. The moment the police come to know about Hakudoushi's involvement in the matter, they'll have enough proof to start an investigation against him."

"So you are going to wait in the hospital for Sango to wake up?"

Inuyasha parked his car and pulled out the keys.

"I think it's best if we don't give Hakudoushi the wind up. Already I've questioned him earlier today, he's bound to get antsy."

"And?"

"I've ordered my men to clear the area around Sango's cabin. If my guess is correct, Hakudoushi has been lurking around the hospital ever since the afternoon…ever since Sango was admitted. If he discovers that the coast is clear, he's bound to try to sneak into Sango's cabin in order to shut her up for good. My plan is to catch him red-handed."

He refused to be more communicative, and Kagome entered the hospital full of misgivings.

By prior arrangement with the hospital authorities, they entered Sango's cabin without a fuss. The light in the cabin was switched off, but the light from the corridor filtered in through the glass rectangle in the centre of the door, filling the cabin with a mysterious half-shadow. Inuyasha made Kagome hide in the darkest corner.

Sango's breathing came to their ears – heavy and undisturbed.

"You think she'll be fine?" Kagome whispered as she lightly clutched Inuyasha's hand.

Inuyasha nodded.

"She'll wake up very soon," he murmured.

"What if she wakes up before Hakudoushi comes in?"

Inuyasha put a finger in his lips.

"It's not safe to talk here – not that I expect Hakudoushi to barge in right now."

The couple was crouched in the corner of the room for what felt like an eternity to Kagome. She was beginning to get a horrible cramp in her leg. When she consulted her watch, she found that only half an hour had elapsed since she had taken position.

Beside her, Inuyasha was tense and alert. All his instincts were awakened. The sound of Sango's breathing floated into Kagome's ears like a lullaby. She was contemplating resting her head against her husband's shoulder and going to sleep when the door opened softly, and someone entered the room.

A cold shiver went down Kagome's spine. The visitor was wearing a nurse's coat but his short stature and thick glasses were clearly highlighted in the half-light.

_Hakudoushi!_

She gripped Inuyasha's arm, and the latter, almost imperceptibly, nodded his head.

Hakudoushi was breathing quickly, as though he was excited. He nimbly walked to the bed. He reached into his pocket and brought out something. Then there was a click. The slender ray of a flashlight fell on Sango's sleeping face.

With his right hand Hakudoushi fished out a syringe and put it upon the tray beside the bed. With the stealth of a cat he removed the I-V tube connected to the channel in Sango's hand. Then he picked up the syringe and connected it to the channel –

Quick as a flash, Inuyasha jumped up from his corner and grabbed Hakudoushi from the back. Hakudoushi's strength was extraordinary in spite of his diminutive appearance. He flailed his arms wildly, pushing Inuyasha against the wall. Inuyasha hollered to Kagome to switch on the light.

In a second the cabin was washed with bright light. Without wasting time, Kagome started blowing the whistle that Inuyasha had passed into her hands while they were waiting in the dark. A dozen men materialized into the cabin – seemingly out of thin air. At last Hakudoushi gave up the struggle, knowing it to be futile. The men from the police formed a ring around him.

Hakudoushi stood in the middle of the circle, muttering curses. Inuyasha put a hand on his sleeve.

"Hakudoushi, I put you under arrest on the charge of the attempted assassination of Miroku and Sango Taishou."

"And for the attempted assassination of nurse Mukotsu," a tall policeman said, "Who's been found unconscious inside the broom cabinet of this floor."

Inuyasha swore under his breath.

"I thought you'll be more careful now, Hakudoushi, so as not to spill any more blood – especially with the police patrolling the premises. But your audacity never fails to surprise me."

There was a movement and a gasping sound behind them.

Everybody (except for Hakudoushi) turned around to see Sango awake, and staring straight at Hakudoushi.


	14. All's Well

It had been two months since tragedy had struck Taishou mansion.

By now Hakudoushi was safely behind bars. Sesshoumaru had gotten the SIM card from Sango's phone restored in the lab and it turned out that the calls were made from a phone registered in Kanna's name. That, coupled with Sango's statement had sealed Hakushoushi's fate. The matter would soon come up for hearing, but everybody was sure it was an open and shut case.

Miroku's wounds weren't as fatal as anticipated. He did not need tracheotomy after all. And after spending two whole months at the hospital, he was finally sent home to recuperate, although it would take many more before he could write again.

Once again, the entire family had assembled in the parlour downstairs, to celebrate Miroku's homecoming.

Mr. Taishou raised a glass.

"Today is a momentous day in this family – there are many occasions to celebrate!" his voice boomed in the spacious enclosure. "Firstly, to my son Miroku, for coming home after two months of ordeal!"

Everyone applauded loudly.

"Secondly, to my daughter Ayame, who's going to give us our first grandchild!"

Again there was loud applause, while Ayame beamed at her husband, Kouga.

"Thirdly, to my son-in-law Kouga, who through his hard work and dedication has earned the position of Partner in our organization!"

Kouga shuffled his feet awkwardly amid the applause and mumbled something inaudible.

"Fourthly, to my other son Inuyasha, for his promotion following the successful capture of Hakudoushi!"

A thunderous applause shook the room and Inuyasha flashed a broad grin, as Kagome looked at him adoringly.

"And last, but not the least, to my eldest son Sesshoumaru, for finally choosing a wife!"

Sesshoumaru looked quite stoic even as the tips of his ears turned bright pink, while his fiancée Rin bowed a tad dramatically before her cheering audience.

After facing many dangers together, Sesshoumaru had decided to finally take his colleague as a wife.

A beaming Izayoi glided toward Madre.

"Congratulations!"

Madre narrowed her eyes as she peered at Izayoi from behind her glasses. Then she relaxed and broke into her first genuine smile in years.

"To you as well…and not just for today."

Izayoi opened her eyes a bit wider.

"Not for today?"

"You've done a good job, over the years."

The blueberry eyes opened even wider.

"Are…are you complementing me?"

Madre let a sigh escape her crimson lips.

"I'll be honest with you, Izayoi. Through the years I've bitterly resented you for stealing my husband. I've cursed you a lot. I thought I'd feel good if I put down you and your children…but I don't care anymore. I know I couldn't build with him what you have. It's time to let go of the past."

Izayoi looked straight into her rival's deep golden eyes.

"You mean you forgave me?" she asked the other woman, "Though I'm not sorry for what I did, but I _am_ sorry for the way I did it. At that time I was young, and arrogant. I was too confident of my youth. I saw it all as a conquest – I never paused to think that I was breaking a family apart. Now that I'm old, I can understand what you must have gone through…because of me."

Madre shrugged her shoulders daintily.

"When has youth ever stopped to care?"

On an impulse she took Izayoi's small hands into hers.

"But I'm glad it was you of all people. He and I...sooner or later we were bound to drift apart. We're both too proud to compromise. You have given him something I never could – roots, that in time have grown and blossomed into something beautiful."

Izayoi smiled. _'Why has this woman's approval always meant so much to me?'_

"I'm glad we could finally be friends."

And before she knew, Madre had withdrawn her hands. Looking at her face, Izayoi saw the icy mask had again found its place.

"I may have forgiven you, Izayoi," Madre replied coldly, "But you are a hundred years too soon to be friends with me."

As Madre's graceful figure retreated from her, Izayoi sighed ruefully.

_'I guess that's as good as it gets.'_

* * *

Sneaking up the stairs, Kagome made her way to the terrace. As she had suspected, she could see Sango's lonesome figure sitting on a chair. Shaking her head disapprovingly, Kagome walked up to her and put a hand upon her shoulder.

"Why didn't you join the celebration downstairs?"

The other girl stared into the horizon.

"It was here that I met him…that dreadful night," Sango said without looking at Kagome.

Kagome drew her breath. In the past two months Sango had not spoken even once about the incident.

"I told him everything…about me and Hakudoushi. I told him I didn't want to betray him any longer, that I'll break all tires with Hakudoushi. And then…that _monster_ called. Miroku said he'd need to speak to him in person. He wanted to hear his side of the story. I was there, Kagome…_and I let him go_…"

"How could you know that Hakudoushi was going to harm him?" Kagome countered.

Sango shook her head.

"I should have known, Kagome. I've known him for the last two years, I should've known." She balled her hands into fists as tears sprang to her eyes. "I _curse_ the day he crossed my path-"

"Sango, you really don't need to tell me all this," Kagome protested. Even though Sango had given her statement to the police, Kagome had never demanded to know about it.

But Sango shook her head.

"I want to tell…I _must_ tell…he said he was a writer…at that time I didn't know he was married. I was so lonely…he fulfilled some sort of hunger in me. It was serious on my part – I asked him about marriage and then…then he told me all about Kanna. He said he didn't love her, that he had no choice but to marry her – that she had forced him by saying she was carrying his baby. I believed him…I was such a fool, Kagome..."

Sango began rocking to and fro in her chair as desperate sobs shook her slender frame. Kagome rubbed her back soothingly.

"It's alright Sango, we all make mistakes. But it's all behind us now."

"Then one day he introduced me to Miroku…he wanted me to charm Miroku into marrying me – so he could come visit me any time he wanted. I said I wouldn't do it. We had a fight and broke up for a while. And then before I knew, Miroku had started pursuing me. Hakudoushi had made it clear that he wasn't going to leave Kanna for me. Kohaku urged me to see Miroku…my relatives started forcing me to accept the match…finally I caved.

"And then Hakudoushi came back – just after my wedding – he said Kanna was gone, that he was free to marry me. I wanted to annul my marriage then and there, but for some reason he wouldn't let me. He said he had some arrangements to make…but he wouldn't tell me what kind. And then…slowly…I started to be afraid of him. Something had come over him...I no longer wanted to be with him…I wanted to be with Miroku…oh!"

Kagome put her arm around Sango.

"There, there, that's enough. You've done your share of penance, don't you think? The way you have looked after Miroku these past two months…"

"It was the least I could do. But now that he's home…I think he deserves a much better wife than me. Kagome, if he tells me to go away I won't protest even once. It's no more or less than what I deserve. I had to shield Hakudoushi even after knowing what he did to Miroku…"

"That was only because Hakudoushi had threatened to harm Kohaku – everyone knows that now. Nobody is going to blame you!"

"Even so, I'll go away at once if Miroku tells me to. But I don't know how I'm ever going to live without him! This is so dreadful! What should I do?"

"Go and ask him if he even _wants_ to kick you out of the house!"

Both girls were startled to hear Inuyasha's voice behind them. They hadn't realized when he had come to the terrace.

Sango stood up from her chair.

"Go talk to Miroku," Inuyasha repeated, "He's looking for you."

At that Sango hurried inside the house. Inuyasha walked over to Kagome, pulling her into a bear hug.

"What's with this sudden display of affection?" Kagome asked, as she raised an eyebrow.

"I was thinking...now that we're done celebrating downstairs, why don't you and I have a little celebration of our own?"

His voice ghosted over the skin of her neck, blossoming goose pimples all over her body.

"Hmm…sounds good to me. I think we'll have a couple of hours to burn before your brother's engagement party."

"We can always skip it…"

"No chance. I'm dying to show off your mother's brooch to the world and its cousin."

"Keh! No chance yourself. I'm not stopping until we make another grandchild for our parents."

"You pervert!"

Kagome pelted him with little fists as he picked her up, bridal style, and strode towards their bedroom with a confident swagger.

* * *

Sango pushed open the door to her room.

"You were looking for me?" she asked hesitantly.

"Come here, I have to tell you something," Miroku looked deadly serious as he rested against the carefully arranged pillows.

Heart thumping, Sango slowly walked across the room and sat down lightly upon the soft mattress.

"We couldn't talk much at the hospital…"

Sango nodded once.

"Sango, that night…I said I wanted to know Haku-kun's side of the story before I came to a decision."

Sango nodded again.

"Well…things have changed...and I've made my decision without consulting him."

Sango looked up at Miroku. She was not startled. She was not afraid. She decided to accept his verdict with the calm resignation of a person reconciled to her fate.

"I know things are messed up between us…perhaps even beyond repair," Miroku continued, "But all the same I'd like to try. I want to give this marriage another shot, I want to wipe the slate clean of memories and start again. Are you game for it?"

At first Sango thought she was dreaming. She couldn't believe her own ears.

_'Did he really say what I thought he said?'_

Miroku looked at her face anxiously.

"It's alright if you don't want to try. I won't force you to."

Sango shook her head smiling, as joyful tears rolled down her cheek.

"No…I mean yes…yes, of course I want to try. Of course I want to be by your side…for the rest of my life!"

It was Miroku's turn to smile.

"You do? Really?"

"Yes! I love you, Miroku!"

Sango gently flung her arms around Miroku, pulling him into a hug. Miroku hugged her right back.

"What do you mean you love me?" he asked teasingly.

"I love you!"

"What can you do for me?"

"I love you!"

"That's not an answer…"

"I love you!"

"…I love you too…"

_Fin_


End file.
